FRANZ LF.COUVRFTTR IN APRIL, 1851.
Copied from Oil-painting.
From East Prussia
to the Golden Gate
BY
Frank Lecouvreur
LETTERS AND DIARY OF THE CALIFORNIA PIONEER,
EDITED IN MEMORY OF HER NOBLE HUSBAND,
BY MRS. JOSEPHINE ROSANA LECOUVREUR
TRANSLATED AND COMPILED BY
JULIUS C. BEHNKE
Professor of Modern Languages, Occidental College, Los Angeles, Cal.
NEW YORK AND LOS ANGELES, CAL.
ANGELINA ROOK CONCERN
GENERAL AGENCY FOR EUROPE
LEIPZIG
BUCHHANDLUNG GuSTAV FoCK
G. m. 1). H.
1906
LIBKA3Y of CONGRESS
Two Gooies R(
FF* 11 1907
Copyrlghl Entry
®zt. I, rqod,
GLASS a, XXc, No,
COrY b. I
Copyright, 1906,
BY
MRS. JOSEPHINE ROSANA LECOUVREUR
MANUFACTURED
BY G. T. ROWLAND
258-60 FIFTH AVE.
NEW YORK
TO THE READER.
Many a book seems worth while reading,
Though you give it but one call.
Mark! Unless it bears re-reading
It should not be read at all.
Lives of self-made men are ever
Full of healthy food for minds
Of ambitious, honest toilers:
"He who seeks is he who finds!"
May this book go forth and cheer you,
And when courage ebbs away,
Take the noble author's motto:
"Try again! Be firm and stay."
J. C. B.
L ^ A '' May, 1906.
CONTEXTS
PAGE
Preface xi
LETTER I
Voyage from Konigsberg to Berlin in 1851. — Berlin: Its custom-
house, Principal Thoroughfares and Passing Impressions 15
LETTER II
(Dated Hamburg, 1851). — The Author's Early Activity. — March Rev-
olution Described by Prince Frederic William, later Emperor of
Germany. — Berlin: More Impressions. — Visit to the Captain of the
March Revolution in 1848. — Friedrichshain, the Resting-place of
Fallen Revolutionists. — Voyage from Berlin to Hamburg. — Ham-
burg and the Hamburg People. — The Harbor. — The Exchange. —
Suburb St. Tauli. — Stintfang. — Churches. — General Architecture. —
City Walls. — The Alster and the Jungfernstieg. — Extract from an
Interesting San Francisco Letter 29
LETTER III
The "Victoria." — Shipping of Emigrants. — Embarking of German
Soldiers for Brazil. — The "Hamburger Berg." — Altona. — The
Celebrated Graves at Ottensen. — Rainville. — Places of Amusement.
— Blankenese, the Gate-keeper of the Elbe. — Tenement Fires. —
Primitive Fire Department. — The Conflagration of 1842 and the
Hero of St. Nicolas. — Annual Floods. — Sewer System.' — A Ham-
burg Funeral Procession. — Humorous Criticism. — The "Citizens'
Guard" of Precious Memory. — •Hamburg Legends. — The Visit of
the Wandering Jew in 1547. — Cosmopolitan Life. — Gomez de
Mier. — The "Glass Arcades." 50
LETTER IV
On Board of Bark "Victoria," off Hamburg. — First Impressions of new
Surroundings. — Slow Progress. — Pentecost. — Life on Board 73
LETTER V
The Ocean Voyage. — First Effects upon Steerage Passengers. — Bill
of Fare. — The British Coast. — The Channel. — Bay of Biscaya. —
Gibraltar. — Madeira. — Flying Fish. — Whales — Northern Tropic
Circle. — Between Two Heavens. — The Calm. — Thunderstorm on
V
vi CONTENTS
PAGE
Mid-ocean. — Ships that Passed. — The "Neptune" Farce. — An
Ocean Burial. — The Brazilian Coast. — Meditations of a Passen-
ger. — Cape-doves and Other Birds. — Birth of a Boy. — Heavy
Storms Around the Cape follow the Approach of "Mother Carey's
Chickens." — The Coast of Fireland. — Picturesque Views. — Bay of
Good Success. — Marvelous Sceneries. — Six Sketches. — Strait Le
Maire. — Narrow Escape. — Shipwreck. — Cape Deceit. — Hermit Is-
lands. — Ramirez Islands. — The Archipelago of the South Sea. —
Scant Meals. — Another Disappointment. — Cape San Carlos. — Fort
Corral. — Chile. — Valdivia. — A Tramp through Virgin Forests. —
Bare-footed Militia. — Fortifications. — Indians. — Volcanos 81
LETTER VI
The Valley of Paradise. — People and Politics. — On Board the "Au-
rora." — Better Bill of Fare. — A Leak. — Undesirable Ship-mates. —
Loads of Gunpowder. — Trade Winds. — Long Calms. — Air-castles. —
Minute Nautical Record 154
LETTER VII
The Farallones Cliffs. — Punta Clara. — San Francisco. — American Soil!
An American City. — Everything for a "Purpose." — Strange Archi-
tectural Mixtures. — Cosmopolitan People.' — Road Building. — Sand
Hills. — Progress Everywhere. — Wharf Building. — Water-front
Scenes. — Strange Bridge-building. — Possibilities. — Shipping. — The
People of the Western Mertopolis. — Erroneous Impressions
Abroad. — The Work of the Vigilance Committee in 1851. — First
Hanging. — Municipal Inactivity. — The Rope Route. — Exile of For-
eign Criminals. — Struggles with Legal Authorities.' — Kidnapping
of Condemned Criminals. — Recapture. — End of a Reign of Ter-
ror. — Western Business Methods. — Americans Like the Industrious
Germans. — Gambling Houses. — The American Press. — Prospects. —
Living. — Miners, as I Meet Them. — Strolls in the Vicinity. —
Mexican Herders 170
LETTER VIII*
Mining Experiences near Long Bar on the Yuba River. — California. —
Description of Virgin Lands and Forests, Primitive Mining Im-
plements. — Life in Mining Camps. — Outfit of the Typical Miner. —
Indians and Their Habits in These Regions. — Mexican Muleros. —
Strange Tourists. — Ox-team Journey. — Snakes. — Newly-made
Friends. — The Snow-line. — Hard Traveling. — A Wet Camping
*This letter was translated years ago by the late Dr. Theodor Wollweber, an intimate
friend of the author.
CONTENTS vii
PAGE
Ground. — Grass Valley at Last.' — A Deserted Tavern. — Our Log
House on Nelson Creek. — Up Hill and Down Hill. — A Family
Memorial Day. — Animal Life in the Mountains. — Actual Work. —
Independence Bar. — The Transformation. — Prices of Eatables 204
LETTER IX
Inclemency of Weather in the Mining Districts and Its Effects. —
Various Experiences. — Game. — American River-steamers. — Trip to
Sacramento. — The Capital. — Back to San Francisco. — Wonderful
Improvements. — The Wharves and the Daily Happenings. — A Re-
markable Incident, Showing the Superiority of American Ship-
building. — Cholera Cases. — Something More About the Indians. —
Resolutions. — Diary Notes. — Struggles for the Daily Bread. — Ex-
pressman No. 107. — Hotel Waiter 258
LETTER X
The First Alameda Boom in 1853. — A Typical Western Real Estate
Deal of Early Days. — Philanthropist Chipman. — An Honest
Man. — Superiority of the American Press. — Americans Ahead. —
San Francisco's Upbuilding. — Great Shipping Facilities. — Troud
of America. — Ups and Downs. — Strange Things Happen. — Success
for the Worker Assured. — Current Coins in 1853. — Godcfroy's
Secret. — Baron von Schroedcr's Gulden. — Tit for Tat 279
LETTER XI
Christmas in Childhood Days. — Dreams. — Etoubleau Sells Out. — The
Journeyman Painter. — Diary Notes. — Sylvester Dreams. — Mexican
Settlers. — Missions. — Medieval Architecture. — Watsonville. — A
Berlin Dragon. — Shipwreck. — A Narrow Escape. — Cape Bonita,
a Dangerous Rock. — Help 293
LETTER XII
Meditations. — A Treat. — An Orange Speculation. — German-American
Press. — Diary Notes : Trip to San Pedro. — The "City of Angels." —
Distasteful Employment. — Assaulted for Righteous Opposition. —
The Carriage Painter. — Debts Paid. — Flagman. — Compass-man. —
Assistant Deputy County Surveyor. — Desert Survey. — Catalina
Island in 1856. — San Pedro. — Anaheim, a Settlement of Stock-
holders. — Wilmington. — Clerkship. — Politics. — The Quarrel. — Lion-
ized in Los Angeles. — Appointed Deputy County Clerk. — The Ex-
plosion of the S. S. "Ada Hancock." — Horrors at Wilmington. —
Local Coal Oil Wells Discovered in 1865. — Back to San Fran-
cisco. — At Wertheimer's. — A Friend's Transition. — Friendly Turns.
— Off for Europe. — Farewell Parade at Los Angeles 303
viii CONTENTS
LETTER XIII
PAGE
The Trip via Panama. — Unpleasant Crossing. — Cuba. — New York. —
Baxter-street. — Chinatown. — Churches and Seats of Learning. —
Newark. — Valley of the Delaware. — Buffalo. — Niagara Falls. — The
Lakes. — Goat Island. — Three Sisters. — Nature's Divine Revela-
tion. — Return Trip to New York. — Cheap Traveling. — The "Cim-
bria." — Transatlantic Scenes. — Hamburg. — Home Again. — In Time
for the Father's Funeral. — Return to America. — Grabow. — Ham-
burg Once More ! — Excursions. — Claudius. — Circus Renz. — Neil's. —
Rudecindo Roche 322
LETTER XIV
Back in New York. — Earthquakes in San Francisco. — Western News. —
Motthaven. — Tremont. — Blackwell's Island. — Manhattan College. —
Return to California. — Harbor Scenes in Romantic Panama. —
Human Sardines. — Coast Scenes. — Acapulco and Its People. —
Lower California. — Stars and Stripes Welcomed. — San Francisco
Once More. — Bound for Los Angeles. — Laura Bevan. — Survey-
ing. — Wedding Bells. — Politics. — County Surveyor 336
Diary and Notes
Los Angeles Vigilance Committee. — Chinese Massacre. — Notes on the
Franco-German War. — Education. — New Era. — Sudden Illness. —
Long Suffering. — The End 339
ILLUSTRATIONS
Pcnskctchcd by the Author in Passing.
PAGE
Portrait of the Author in 1851 Frontispiece
The French Coast of Calais 75
Hamburg Bark "Victoria," Captain J. Meyer 83 ^
Coast of Fireland near Cape St. Vincent 115-
Snow-capped Northern Coast of Fireland 11"
Another Scene near the Cape 119
A Long Mountain Chain Including Cape St. Vincent 121
Cape San Diego 123
Cape Good Success 125
San Diego, Ramirez Islands 129
The Storm-beaten Bark "Victoria" 129
Harbor Beach of Corral 131 ■'
Village of Corral in Chile 133 '
The Old Fort Corral 135
Landing in Corral 137
Map of the Feather and Yuba River Mining Districts 20G-
Log Cabin at Nelson Creek 243
"La Soledad" 309
Mohave Swamp 31 1
Scene in the Mohave River 313
Scene from the River of the Plains 315
The Author in Manhood 339
Mrs. Lecouvreur 349
IX
'
PREFACE
When the late Frank Lecouvreur left his native land in
1851 for California, leaving behind him his parents and
the dear friends of his youth, following the promptings of
his large heart he kept a careful journal of the sights and
the unusual experiences that were his in travel, and in
the new land he had chosen as a field for his activities.
After his death, which occurred January 17, 1901, in Los
Angeles, California, it was found that this journal and
the letters covering the period of absence from, his native
home had been carefully preserved by members of his
family to whom they were addressed and it seemed to his
wife and friends, that while these letters were often of a
nature such as would be written only to one's intimates,
and were frequently expressions of the innermost feel-
ings of the man, yet because the record of such a life
could not but be helpful to others, and especially to young
men in whose training and development Mr. Lecouv-
reur was ever deeply interested, his widow has consented
to the publication of these letters and the journal in a
form that could be distributed among his friends. Iden-
tified from the beginning with the public life of Los An-
geles, it is fitting that a brief sketch of his activities and
accomplishments should preface these letters.
Frank Lecouvreur was born in Ortelsburg, Prussia,
June 7, 1829, and was christened Theodor Maximilian
Ferdinand Franz Lecouvreur, his father being of French
nativity, while his mother was the accomplished daugh-
ter of Mayor Minuth of Bartenstein, East Prussia.
Happily born, and of an ancestry that combined na-
tional as well as personal characteristics, young Lecouv-
reur's childhood was spent in an environment that could
xi
Xll
PREFACE
but develop an exceptional character. He received a
thorough education as a civil engineer, and became as
well a fine linguist. Acquiring liberal ideas and having
inherited a predilection for a larger liberty he resolved,
upon attaining his majority, to migrate to the great re-
public of the New "World and to visit California, going
by way of Cape Horn. His letters cover this period of
his life very fully, and detail his voyage and experiences
in the then undeveloped country.
A man of culture and refinement, artistic sensibilities,
and a keen observer, of warm-hearted and religious tem-
perament, it was not remarkable that he became at once
closely identified with the best life of the New California.
Arriving in Los Angeles in 1855 he was made deputy
county clerk for three years and thus at once became of
public service to his chosen country. Later he served as
a deputy of Major Henry Hancock, the county surveyor,
under whom the celebrated "Hancock's Survey" was
made.
Subsequently he served two terms, of two years each,
as county surveyor, during which he made many very
important surveys for the county. It fell to him to par-
tition for the Verdugo family, one of the oldest and
wealthiest of Spanish-Calif ornia, the rancho "San
Bafael" of 44,000 acres, or eleven Spanish leagues, being
one of four of the oldest grants from the King of Spain,
in Alta California.
Declining the offer of a third term as county surveyor
he retired from public office and assumed the responsible
position of cashier of the Farmers' and Merchants' Bank,
in which corporation he was also a director.
In June of 1877 he was married to Miss Josephine
Eosana Smith, and after a trip to Europe to visit his fam-
ily, Mr. and Mrs. Lecouvreur returned to Los Angeles to
make here their permanent home. In 1886 a serious ill-
ness caused a general decline in Mr. Lecouvreur 's health
and he retired from active business.
This eminent civil engineer, accomplished scholar, de-
voted husband and man of exalted ideals, gave to his
PREFACE
xin
adopted city the best years of his life, and was, in every
respect, a useful and esteemed citizen. The esteem in
which he was held by his fellow citizens was manifested
by the great concourse which attended his funeral, among
whom were the most eminent men of the city. ^Ir. Lecou-
vreur left no children, but was survived by his wife, who
had co-operated with him in all the later benevolences of
his life, and who has edited this book in the hope that it
might inspire and help the young men of the present
day.*
*This preface is a welcome contribution from the able pen of
Henry D. Barrows, the veteran pioneer, whose name is insep-
arable from the History of Southern California. — Translator.
FROM EAST PRUSSIA TO THE
GOLDEN GATE
LETTER NO. I
Berlin, April 28, 1851.
My Dear Parents: You will know by this time that
my first voyage terminated as expected. Hardly a breath
of air curled the surface of the Baltic Sea, which
stretched before us like a mirror when we set sail on our
long voyage, about six o'clock in the morning, on board
the steamer ' ' Konigsberg, " Capt. Eybe. The air was
not clear enough yet, to distinguish any attractions of
the coast from Pillau to Bruesterort, which place we
lost sight of by eleven o'clock. Slowly but surely the
outlines of our native coast disappeared from our view,
until even the last visible strip of the continent, the high-
land near Elbing had sunk below our horizon like a faint,
blue cloud. I realized that we were on the high sea.
Softly rocking the ''Konigsberg" went on her way, while
the long drawn and slowly departing clouds of smoke
carried with them my last greetings toward home! It
was a strange, indescribable feeling which took hold of
me, when, for the first time in my life, I saw nothing
around me but sky and water. Yet, I felt so well, my
heart felt so at ease, and at that very moment, it seemed
as if the following words were clearly written upon my
soul: "Thy resolution was well taken, thou hast done
the proper thing." And, perhaps for the first time in my
life, I felt happy and contented. About half-past twelve,
the lighthouse of Stela came in sight. We overtook a
whole fleet of ships coming from Pillau, and as they were
15
16 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
mostly within speaking distance, it gave me quite an en-
tertainment. I counted two brigs, eleven schooners, two
sloops, four yachts, all under full sail, when we overtook
them, one by one. Though we were but three German
miles from Stela, we could recognize but very little, as
most points of that vicinity are very low. The coast does
not rise until one reaches Eieserhoft, the high tower of
which we passed about four o'clock in the afternoon at
a distance of nearly four miles and a half. Fortunately
the air cleared toward six o'clock, so that we were able
to distinguish houses, trees and shrubberies along the
coast of Eieserhoft with the naked eye. What a treat
for one unaccustomed to be on the open sea for any
length of time. We were now about a mile and a half
from the coast and did not widen the distance until sun-
set, when we went a few miles further from land without
losing sight of it entirely. During the evening we passed
five or six more vessels, all sea-bound. The sky was cov-
ered with broken clouds ; dark and silent was the sea, the
broad waves of which kept us swinging to and fro; the
air was mild and all the passengers were on deck, in
eluding a few who, for hours, had paid nature's tribute
to the sea. We remained up and passed the evening
joking, laughing, rejoicing and singing until long after
the red and green signal lanterns had been set out. To-
wards ten o'clock, one after the other retired. Capt.
Eybe turned the command over to his mate, with whom
I walked up and down the deck for quite a while, watch-
ing the coast of Pomerania, which we passed at a dis-
tance of perhaps two German miles. As the wind favored
us from the Northeast, Nebendahl, the mate, ordered all
available sails set, and when I retired, about eleven
o'clock, we had made such headway that the lonely light
of Eieserhoft looked like a speck on the farthest edge of
the horizon. Having reached my bunk, I soon fell sound
asleep in spite of the unaccustomed manner of lodging
and notwithstanding the steady groaning of the machine
and the noise of the immense wheels, now louder, now
less noticeable, according to the movements of the ves-
KONIGSBERG TO BERLIN 17
sel, as it shuffled through the waves of the ocean. I
awakened shortly after five o'clock, and the quick and
heavy motions of the ship at once made me aware that
the wind had grown stronger during the night. When
I reached the deck about six a. m. my expectation was
verified by the good Northeast breeze which rilled our
sails. The foam danced around our ship, reminding one
of flocks of sheep. In about half an hour we perceived
the church steeples of Colberg, which we passed three
miles off coast about half-past eight under full sail. By
nine o'clock we were able to recognize the high towers
of Treptow. The wind became stronger and the ship
danced merrily upon the foam-crowned waves of the Bal-
tic sea. Meanwhile rain set in and continued more or
less during the day and the constant rocking of the ship
caused many of those who had withstood the experience
so far, to become sea-sick. Even Olias looked as white as
chalk and did not seem to relish the breakfast at all;
what he could not eat served Griinhagen and me quite
well.
The sky remained clouded during the day, and though
but three miles away, we were hardly able to recognize
the coast. The wind blew so hard at noon that several
sails had to be laid by and we retained none but the fore-
mast. At twelve we found ourselves opposite Swiner-
hoft. The bluff must here be about three hundred feet
high. It is the highest point on the Pomeranian coast;
resembling the shore between little "Warnicken and
Kuhren. The wind increased its velocity from minute
to minute; it rained in torrents; the waves went higher
and higher, and the mighty N. N. E. wind tossed our
vessel to and fro right merrily. Whenever one of the
waves, which invariably caught the side of our ship, slid
underneath, its white crown of foam would splash over
the whole length of the deck and often threatened to roll
us over and over. Righting again, our ship would cut
some immense wave in two, to be lost during the next
minute in mountains of foam, until some new-comer
would break against our bow with a force that made ev-
2
18 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
ery joint creak. Our progress was slow, as was to have
been expected under such circumstances, so that we had
scarcely covered a quarter of a German mile by one
o'clock, when we noticed the beautiful broad belt, which
the foam of the downs had spread in front of the high
coast forests of Swinerhoft. Capt. Eybe was kind enough
to lend me an oil suit, which enabled me to remain on deck,
notwithstanding the pouring rain. As it was absolutely
impossible even for sailors to stand up straight without
holding on to something, I took position alongside of the
wheel. By this time every living soul was sick, even
Grunhagen complained of indisposition and looked like
a corpse. I, on the contrary, did not feel the slightest
annoyance and even enjoyed my cigar as if I had been
sitting in Conradshof drinking a cup of coffee.
The cabins offered a sight to behold : tables, chairs, sea-
sick passengers, men, women and children, everybody
and everything in utter confusion. It mocked descrip-
tion. At last we caught sight of Swinemunde, about
three p. m. Three-quarters of an hour later we took a
pilot on board and shortly after anchored in the Swine*
(pron. d "Sweenay"), between an English schooner and
a Prussian Man-of-War, the "Nix," which had arrived
from London about an hour ahead of us. The roughness
of the weather prevented our landing, and we set out
anew after taking a few more passengers aboard and fol-
lowing the course of the battleship which, like ourselves,
was bound for Stettin. The raging storm caused the ship
to almost become unmanageable. It had just struck seven
o'clock when, while entering the mouth of the river
"Oder," we experienced a terrific gust of wind which
tore the foremast completely out of its holdings. The
sails were beating frightfully, while torn fragments blew
off, to be carried far into the Bay. But a few minutes
had elapsed when of the once beautiful sail there re-
mained only a collection of tattered rags. This was, how-
ever, the only mishap that befell us during the voyage-
not counting a few little damages near Swinemunde.
At last we reached Stettin, about ten o'clock p. m. It
KONIGSBERG TO BERLIN 19
was very dark when we anchored alongside of the steam-
er "Carninius"; of course we remained on board till
morning. It was Sunday, the 12th of April. The weather
was clear and pleasant, which permitted us to land early,
and enabled us to gain a good view of the few streets; we
also examined a small war vessel, which was under con-
struction in the large ship-yard. It happened that the
great man-of-war "Salamander" was at anchor, where-
fore we proceeded to take a good look at her, though no
ptermission could be obtained by any stranger to visit the
ship.
One observation interested me greatly, namely: the
difference in vegetation about the place, which struck me
at once. The walls of the fortress were already covered
with green and most of the trees in this vicinity had
donned their fresh spring garb, the new leaves of the
chestnut trees, for instance, being fully an inch long.
How beautiful is our northern springtime!
But just now Greenhagen and his brother have come
for the purpose of taking me out for a walk, consequently
I shall have to postpone the continuation of this letter
till my return.
At eight p, m.
As you will readily understand, it has been impossible
for me to make any purchases in Stettin on account of
my very limited stay in the fortress. My impression of
the latter has not been a very flattering one. Though the
streets cannot really be called narrow, the tall buildings,
most of which are five or six stories high, darken these
thoroughfares considerably.
About eleven o'clock we took our baggage to the sta-
tion. My ticket to Berlin cost me two thalers (one thaler-
seventy-five cents), and besides I had to pay nearly two
more for overweight of baggage. The rapidity of dis-
patching travelers at the station is truly remarkable. Si-
lence and a marvelous order reign everywhere, due prob-
ably to the fact that none but ex-army men can enter our
railroad service or that of our custom houses. About a
20 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
hundred people with more or less baggage were dis-
patched and provided with tickets in less than twenty
minutes. Ten minutes before our departure there was
not a train in sight, though the whole crowd of passen-
gers was ready to board it. Then began the switching,
the lining up of cars, the loading of freight cars, the seat-
ing of passengers, examining of tickets by the conductor,
who politely answers all reasonable questions as he goes
from one to the other; all this was done in the twinkling
of an eye and when the signal for departure was given,
the steam whistle blew and the train pulled out to the
very minute, at 11:45 a. m., as scheduled. To one who
has never been on a railroad train, the feeling which he
experiences is decidedly strange. Most people imagine
the speed of the train to resemble a flash of lightning,
but this is very exaggerated, as one can plainly recognize
all objects which the train passes, even those which are
closest to the rails. The strange noise of the rolling, the
whizzing and hissing of engine and cars as they cut the
air at high speed, the whistling at the approach of road
stations, all this may annoy less sensitive ears than mine,
particularly during the first trip.*
The country between Stettin and Berlin offers very
little change of scenery; only a few hills, but mostly low
plains, whose well-laid-out farms give ample proof of the
hard toil which the horny-handed peasant has already
accomplished so early in the year; but, with all that, this
monotonous sameness does not rest the eye of the trav-
eler, as there are neither forests nor large bodies of water
to vary the appearance of the landscape. Here and there
may be some variety apparent, but that is all. The train
stopped at Tanton, Passon, Angermunde, Neustadt,
Eberswalde, and other little stations, three or five min-
utes at a time. The stations are all well built, and in
some instances even they are magnificent structures,
which result is one of the benefits of government owner-
*These are the natural observations one would have made when
railroad travel was first introduced.- — Transl.
KONIGSBERG TO BERLIN 21
ship. As our number of passengers increased at every
station, it became necessary to add another locomotive at
Angermiinde. Our train had eighteen passenger coaches,
holding in all about eight hundred people, i. e., nearly
fifty in each car. We reached Berlin at last. It was just
four o'clock in the afternoon when we steamed into
Grande Station near the Oranienburg gate (named after
Prince William of Orange). Xo sooner had the train come
to a standstill than a sentry from the Second Guard's
Regiment stationed himself at every car, while some
twenty constables started to examine the passes, which
took much less time than I had thought. This done, ev-
ery one of us received a stamped ticket, which we handed
to the gate keeper.*
To identify and obtain our baggage took about half an
hour, after which we started for our respective lodgings.
Grtinhagen has a brother living in Kochstrasse and Olias
and I went to find the ''German House" in Kloster-
strasse, which we reached about five o'clock. As neither
of us was acquainted with the city, we were at a loss to
devise a plan for the evening, therefore I resolved to de-
liver a letter, which Johanna Kuhnast asked me to take
to Rudolph Wilzeck — Kommandantenstrasse.
Olias accompanied me to that place. Utterly ignorant
of the location of the streets of Berlin, we went bravely
out to discover the place of our destination. We
tramped through Spandauer and Konigsstrasse, Molken-
markt, Gertrudenstr., Spittelmarkt, Leipzigerstr., Don-
hofsplatz until we finally drifted into Kommandantenstr.,
at the extreme end of which said dwelling was to be
found. When we reached the place, the bird had flown,
having left the city, bound for East Prussia, a few days
previously. As soon as we had recovered from our disap-
pointment Olias coaxed me to take a stroll through the
"Thiergarten." The straight-laid streets of this part of
Berlin, called Frederic's town, make it easy for a stranger
to find his way. We returned partly by the same route
*Remember. kind reader, that this took place more than fifty
years ago. Times have changed since then. — Transl.
23 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
we had passed before until we reached the endless Fred-
erickstr., which led us into the celebrated avenue ' ' Unter
den Linden," with its historical edifices. Thence we en-
tered the Thiergarten through the ''Gate Brandenburg."
This park is the most celebrated place of recreation in all
Prussia. By nine o'clock we were home again without
having lost our way or even asking anyone for the direc-
tion. I describe the trip at such length that you may, by
looking up your map of Berlin, form some idea of the
length of our tramp, which surely entitled us to a good
night's rest. I assure you that I slept more soundly than
during many a night before.
As I already have mentioned, Griinhagen's brother
took us out for a walk this forenoon. We visited the
museums and passed through many streets and squares,
which I had not known of before. During the afternoon
our course took in the Konigsstrasse, Donhofsplatz, Jeru-
salem, Frederic's and Leipzigerstrasse, then to the Leip-
ziger Gate, Bellevue avenue— a beautiful thoroughfare—
when at last we reached the Zoological Garden, where we
staid till six o'clock, returning home through the "Thier-
garten," "Unter den Linden, "and "Schlossgarten." But
of what use is this minute description of our walks. Ber-
lin, notwithstanding its magnificent streets, its imposing
edifices, its immense palaces, its beautiful statues and
rare collections of art, does not touch the heart. The day
after tomorrow I shall continue my trip to Hamburg, as
the very paving of these streets is burning under my feet.
Tomorrow I shall visit "Friedrichshain" in order to pay
my silent respects to the March Enthusiasts. Poor fel-
lows!*
*Noble Lecouvreur, his very soul was already filled with that
intense love of freedom which brings so many Europeans ro our
American shores and his youthful heart, while he was yet scarcely
out of his teens, could not and would not leave the old soil with-
out uncovering his head in silent prayer at the graves of the
German Martyrs of Freedom. They suffered death while he,
their youthful sympathizer, left home and hearth to seek true
Freedom under the protection of the Stars and Stripes, rather
KOXIGSBERG TO BERLIN 23
During my short stay in Berlin I have not failed to
visit some historical places such as the Royal Palaces,
the Breitestrasse, where the first shots of '48 were fired;
the Art Academy, Armory and other places which I may
have unconsciously passed by, bear witness to the days
of horror. The immense mass of stone of the BO-called
"Castle" made a very sad impression upon me, more so
perhaps as, coining from Konigstr., my eye caught at
once the iron fence, on every single gate of which there
stood sometimes one, sometimes two sentries and another
one, wherever the space between two> gates happened to
be a foot or two wider than usual. These fellows, well
armed, walk up and down the short space they are to
guard; besides these, there are crowds of policemen do-
ing duty by moving about the inner court. A chill ran
through my veins. He, who has already inhaled Free-
dom's air at sea, cannot really care for Berlin— cannot
harmonize with Berlin people. It is not an uncommon
thing to see well-dressed men take off their hats in pass-
ing the empty carriage of some royal personage or to
show the same respect to a passing stable boy who hap-
pens to wear royal livery.
Mother Nature has favored the country surrounding
Berlin more than that of Stettin. The fruit trees are al-
ready dropping their blossoms, and tulips, lilies and
other flowers appear in full bloom.
My next letter will be dated from Hamburg, where I
hope to receive one from home. Please do not address
any more letters in care of Knohr and Burchard, but
rather in care of Heinrich Bartsch.
How I long to be on the open sea once more. To-mor-
row, as I mentioned before, I shall visit the cemetery
which harbors the March heroes, and then— good-bye.
Berlin; good-bye forever, I hope!
To tlio few, whom T love, and to those who love me, to
every one of you, a hearty farewell.
(Signed) FRANZ LECOUVPETJB.
than to sec his growing manhood crushed by Order of the King. —
Transl.
24 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
*Before proceeding with the description of Berlin in the
beginning of the Hamburg letter, which I am convinced
will impress the reader from more than one point of view,
let it be remembered that our young author, as is quite
common with young, wide-awake students, had inhaled
the teachings of political world-saviors, so-called. In his
particular case it was Karl Marx, the shrewd German
socialist, whose doctrines were being expounded by able
agitators throughout the Fatherland and the dangerous
effects of which had clearly manifested themselves in the
March Revolution of 1848.
While the Prussian government seemed quite well in-
formed as to the progress of the brewing trouble in the
provinces, and prepared to meet it, the probability of an
early outbreak in the very heart of Berlin seemed not to
have been given any credence in highest circles. How-
ever, they soon realized their mistake, when it was dis-
covered that, notwithstanding the great vigilance of their
police, a number of political offenders, who had been ex-
iled from the kingdom, had re-entered the Capital and
systematically agitated the working classes and student
bodies, sowing discontent wherever they found a chance.
Young people, particularly in sentimental Germany, are
always quick in accepting a method offered which has for
its seeming purpose the redemption of all ills, the
''wronged classes" are said to be heir to. Is it then so
surprising that such brilliant minds, as that of young Le-
couvreur, should have become greatly enthused over the
teachings of men like Karl Marx, the Moses of Socialism,
Etienne Cabet, the French pedagogue and communist,
and his followers, Louis Blanc and Buchez, whose motto:
"Liberty, Equality and Fraternity" had electrified even
the "German Michel?" One who had learned to admire
such writers as Borne, Heine and Freiligrath, could not
fold his hands in idleness during this history-making pe-
riod. Notwithstanding the fact that King Frederick Wil-
liam IV. tried his utmost to pacify the people, there oc-
*Remarks by translator.
KONIGSBERG TO BERLIN 25
curred fierce fights in the streets between the masses and
the royal troops, in which on the eighteenth of March,
eighteen hundred and forty-eight, no less than one hun-
dred and eighty-three civilians and twenty soldiers were
killed. Though the troops had gained a sad victory, the
King, who loved peace with his people above everything
else, in the spirit of his lamented mother, the great Queen
Louisa, granted the very next day, among other royal
favors, the total amnesty of all political offenders, and
witnessed in person the funeral of the fallen civilians,
whose remains were given solemn burial at Friedrichs-
hain, a cemetery described elsewhere.
The following letter from H. E. H. Prince Frederic
"William, son of the reigning King's brother, William,
and later father of the present Emperor of Germany, to
Eduard Baeyer, an intimate of his youth, was recently
published by the ever well-informed ' ' Konigsberger Har-
tungsche Zeitung." This letter is a part of the communi-
cations concerning this friendship, as appeared in an ar-
ticle by Mrs. Emma Ribbeck, nee Baeyer, in the
" Deutsche Rundschau," a periodical of great influence.
What to the translator seems to emphasize the weight of
the following lines is the fact, which no German reader
will overlook, that they were written on the very birth-
day anniversary of the Prince's illustrious father, the
great William the First. During his reign, which fol-
lowed that of Frederick William IV., all Germany cele-
brated the twenty-second of March. But let us read the
letter, which bears rhetorical proof of great excitement
under which the august writer labored:
Potsdam, March 22, 1848.
My Dear, Good Baeyer:— This very moment I received
your dear letter, the first one since I left Berlin. You will
easily imagine how I feel. What I have experienced since
last Saturday has aged me many a year, and I am moved
to confess that everything seems to have been but a bad
dream— a nightmare. The terrible scenes of last Sunday,
the heroic deeds of our troops on Saturday, all that I wit-
26 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
nessed from the windows of the castle— but there is no
need of telling you. You are- probably as well informed,
if not better than I. But when I left Berlin on Sunday
night about seven o'clock, passing the citizen's guard,
my heart bled. Fortunately, I met soldiers in most of the
halls, which fact had a soothing influence upon me. Many
were the proofs of devotion which the officers showed me
until I reached the carriage that drove me along the
"Linden" to the residence of Major Oelrichs in the Pots-
damerstreet. My sister, the Princess Louise,* was with
me, while my parents remained with the King. We after-
wards drove to Potsdam and are safe at present. I
thought to dream that night of the awful, horrifying
sight of that funeral procession. The departure of the
troops, which left the castle virtually without power of
defense, was dreadful indeed. And! what ai humiliation
for our dear King and the poor, sick Queen, to be forced
by the people to view the horrible corpses from the bal-
cony amongst the howling, shouting threats of the multi-
tude. This is terrible to me and never shall I care to en-
ter the court-yard again. Really, I am disgusted with
Berlin forever! I was present on Saturday from four
o'clock till midnight and witnessed the struggles of our
brave soldiers. Words do not suffice to describe the valor
with which they fought. God be praised that, compared
with the loss sustained by the mob, but few of our sol-
diers fell ; every report of a wounded soldier was terrible
to me. This was the first murderous encounter at which
I have ever been present ; I am now prepared to go upon
the battlefield, the sight will no more be new to me. Last
Sunday was the most ill-fated day of my life, up to now.
When I left the house in the morning to drive to the cas-
tle, a voice told me: "You will not return for some time!"
And, how it stands! My effects were then already and
are now in safety, many even are in my possession at
present. From the moment I entered the castle, where
*Later Grand Duchess of Baden and then only ten years of
age ; the prince was seventeen at the time, — Tr.
KONIGSBERG TO BERLIN 27
many officers of my regiment vied to kiss my hand in
deepest emotion until the time when I drove away again
in the evening, the awful howling never ceased, but con-
tinued in my ears long through the night. My poor par-
ents are well and in safety. Papa will go to England, but
he does not run away; he received a mission from the
King. I have seen both of them. Everything is in per-
fect quiet and safety here in Potsdam. The local protec-
tion committee is uncommonly well organized. My other
younger relatives, with the exception of cousin Freder-
ick Karl, and my sister, are all in safety, but not with us.
The poor Charlotte is nearly beside herself, having es-
caped almost miraculously. When will her confirmation*
take place and mine? God alone knows.
But I have not lost courage. I trust in God! He will
do all things well. Now it is time for me to close. I have
given you as many particulars as possible, whatever
passed through my heart.
But I have scrawled terribly. I hope you will be able
to read it all. That you are rejoicing now and able to
forget the past, seems quite probable to me, in considera-
tion of the present excitement. I, for my part, cannot be
happy, but bow in obedience to the new measures, taken
by the King, which will prove beneficial with the help of
God. It will be a long time before I shall be really happy
again! You will not see me very soon in Berlin. Fare-
well. Pardon the poor handwriting and convey my most
sincere greetings to all friends. Tell them, as well as our
teachers, that I always remember them, that I am in
safety and ready to trust God in all things, and that I am
well prepared to bear, with courage and fortitude, the
great misfortune which has befallen us, and which I look
upon as sent by God. Tell all friends from the contents
of this letter, whatever you may doom proper for thorn
to know, nothing or all; I leave that to your judgment.
*The royal family is Lutheran, and the confirmation here men-
tioned refers to the church ceremony, during which a promise of
perseverance in the Lutheran faith is made. — Trans.
28 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
Pray for us, all of you, as I do for you. May God bless
all of us and may He grant us an early reunion !
Your ever faithful friend,
FRIEDRICH WILHELM.
P. S.— I beg you, for God's sake, be careful with this
letter and do not show it to anyone. Just tell them what-
ever may be of consoling interest as regards our fate, but
not the thoughts which I may have expressed. If you
do not think that you will be able to hide the letter, burn
it instantly. Nobody is to read it, except perhaps it be
Schellbach, whom I have already seen and spoken to,
tete a tete, for, believe me, this region is full of spies and
emissaries; so one has to weigh every word carefully. I
am only too well aware of it. Be very careful in your
own behalf.
Now, farewell, and be prudent in all things. F. W.
The foregoing will serve the reader to better under-
stand the feeling of our author, who was but three years
older than H. E. Highness, and who represented at the
time— the other side. He visits the very battle-field upon
which his fellow-endeavorers had paid the penalty for
the folly of their ignorance or misdirected sentimentality.
With the Berlin letter closes that period of his life; in it
we find the last expressions of the author's sympathy for
the cause he espoused in his youth. He was bound for
the New World and he determined to free himself from
the drawbacks of the old. (Translator.)
LETTER NO. II
My Last Hours in Berlin— Voyage from Berlin to Ham-
burg— Hamburg and the Hamburg People.
Hamburg, May 6th, 1851.
"When I arose from my feather-bed on the morning of
April the 29th, my resolution to leave Berlin on the fol-
lowing day was unshaken. I had spent already twenty-
four hours to watch this cradle of vanity and splendor,
and thought it sufficient ; indeed, it did suffice, for another
twenty-four hours filled me with so much disgust that it
would have been a torture for me to spend the rest of my
life in Berlin. Still, let there be justice, where justice is
due. The city itself is beautiful, that is, for him who can
see something beautiful in a mass of houses, if I may use
the expression: "in Sunday-go-to-meeting attire." The
weather was bright; trees and lawns were in full spring
dress; clean streets, shining window-panes everywhere,
door steps and everything admirably clean, whether I
examined the most imposing or the simplest, the colossal
or the most humble sights; everything was intended to be
artistically impressive, and would have undoubtedly been
so in my regard— had it not been for the people — such a
people!
Whosoever doubts the veracity of my words may take
a leisurely walk on any bright afternoon from Donhofts-
platz through Louisenstrasse (named after the immortal
Queen Louisa of Prussia), Friedrichstr., Unter den Lin-
den, to the Brandenburger thor, taking precaution to
avoid in his attire anything that would or could attract
attention. I went without cuffs or necktie, dressed very
plainly. Thus you will have the best opportunity to ob-
serve the thousands and thousands who pas< you with or
29
30 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
without a purpose. The rnain feature which the visitor
of this metropolis will at once recognize is the spirit of
servility, often followed by or combined with undeniable
traits of depravity, which are mirrored in the very faces
of numberless men and women. From the coachman to
the prince in the showy carriage, from the servant girl to
the countess, from the private of the Grenadiers to the
General, from the cash boy to the King's counselor— ev-
erybody brags, everybody tries to impress everybody else
in word and action, yes, in his very walk, that he is ever
so much superior to anyone else until— one higher in so-
cial standing happens along, then 0! how small, how very
humble the hero of a minute before has suddenly be-
come. It was Monday evening on Leipziger Platz, that 1
witnessed the gentleman, mentioned in my last letter,
who wore a decoration of rank in his button-hole pro-
foundly saluting the coachman or— the empty carriage
he was driving, which bore the coat of arms of its royal
owner— I had to refrain from giving this old hypocrite
a piece of my angered mind. How true is the much criti-
cised description of the immortal Heine, contained in
these words: "It really takes several barrels of poetry
to find anything else in Berlin but dead houses and dead
people." It is seldom you see a real man. Everything
though new, everybody, even the young, is so old, so
withered— so dead! After I had dressed myself on Tues-
day morning I found myself so disappointed, so ill-hu-
mored, that I did not care to leave the house all the fore-
noon, and not until four o'clock in the afternoon did I
decide to visit Hasenkamp, which meant a long walk, as
he is staying with Dorn, the lawyer, in Anhaltstr. I was
fortunate in finding him at home, but he had changed so
much that I scarcely recognized him. Sickness had dis-
figured him terribly and compelled the growth of a beard.
I spent two very pleasant hours with him, as he was in
an excellent frame of mind. He showed me his wounds,
one of which was caused by a chance shot, two inches
long, on the calf of the right leg, while the other proved
to be of a serious nature, the bullet having entered the
BERLIN TO HAMBURG 31
right side of the abdomen and gone clear through, leav-
ing the body hardly a finger's width from the spinal cord,
just below the false ribs. The scars are as big as a dol-
lar. He described the skirmish near Friedriclistadt in
vivid colors, up to the time when, being about forty feet
from the enemy, the bullet struck him. At first he left
the wound unnoticed, as the feeling resembled that of
an electric shock, but dizziness soon overtook him, fol-
lowed by chills and fever, which slowly deprived him of
consciousness, not soon enough, however, to prevent the
frightening realization that he was mortally wounded.
The last words which his fading senses caught were:
' ' Der Hauptmann ist todt ! " ( The captain is dead ! ) Pic-
ture to yourself the excruciating pains when he awoke
from his first fainting spell to find himself lifted upon
two rifles and carried away from the scene of battle-
even without emergency bandages. They next put him
on a stretcher and drove him in a pouring rain through
badly paved streets and market places to the lazareth
(soldiers' hospital) which was fully eight English miles
away from the first place. He recovered very slowly and
even yet bears the burden of a martyr's life. The two
very pleasant hours had flown rapidly and I truly regret-
ted to take leave of this honest, sterling man, whose heart
and mind evinced qualities too rarely met. There re-
mained on my program but one more part to fulfil— my
intended visit to Friedrichshain to honor the graves of
those who have already honored us. I now hastened to
accomplish this purpose.
Passing the Landsberger street and gate, one observes
to the left of the avenue a small hill, upon the top of
which there are two windmills. Between these and the
city there lies the cemetery of Friedrichshain, well laid
out with young trees and flowers. At the foot of the hill
which is nearest the city, T found the resting-place of the
heroes of the eighteenth of March, eighteen hundred and
forty-eight. It is a square of between seventy-five and
one hundred feet, hedged in by a low, wooden fence. Ev-
ery corner has an open entrance. Parallel with the fence
32 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
run the graves, leaving a walk of about five feet in width
between them. The whole offers the thoughtful visitor
a fit subject for meditation. The two rows of graves have
been converted into beautiful flower-beds, while the cen-
ter of this sad, silent spot has been laid out for a lawn.
Words cannot describe the impression which this ever
sorrow-inspiring place left upon me. Step by step I wan-
dered from grave to grave, from cross to cross, every one
of which was covered with fresh wreaths. Beautiful ivy
bowers, as thickly grown as I had never seen them be-
fore, had risen from the graves of those whose noble deeds
will ever live in the hearts of freedom-loving men. Be it
then said to the honor and credit of the Berlin people
that they have set a monument to the memory of those
who died for their convictions, which is likewise a tribute
to the piety of the living. They cared for these, their
dead, so beautifully, that this act alone has reconciled
me to a great extent with Berlin-at-large. The evening
was very mild. I sat long upon one of those graves and
saw the sun slowly disappear from my horizon. Strange
were the visions which entranced me. It seemed to me
that the departing rays of the sun were only too anxious
to hasten away from the mass of cold houses of Berlin,
while they hovered gladly over the silent crosses along-
side of me in apparent search of a moment's rest.
My dreams and my feelings of that hour I am unable to
describe; they were undefinable. At last I arose. The
bluish fog had already commenced to overspread the end-
less plain, and the approaching darkness reminded me
that it was time to seek my temporary quarters. Of all
the beautiful tombstone inscriptions I remember but one:
"Peace be to his spirit!" I shall never forget it. How
many thousands have visited this spot without reading
these inspiring words and how many, reading them, un-
derstood their significance ? I shall never wish for a more
beautiful, more spiritual, more soulful epitaph!*
*Consider, that you are reading - the letter of a youth, addressed
to his parents and admire with me the purity of a heart and a
BERLIN TO HAMBURG 33
Wednesday, the thirtieth of April, found me an early
riser. Olias preferred to stay a few more days in Ber-
lin, but he and I had already sent the heavier baggage to
the station the day before, so that it could be forwarded
by freight and still reach Hamburg in time. Each of us
kept about fifty pounds which are allowed every passen-
ger on the railroad. My fare— third class— amounted to
four thaler and five Silbergroschen (about three dollars).
The train pulled out of Berlin at 7:30 a. m. Our first
stop occurred at Spandau, the well-known and much-
dreaded fortress, where many a brave man serves time
for political offenses, for having a mind of his own and
the courage to express it. The road leads along the banks
of the Havel with its little inlets, bridges and miniature
bays. The picturesque changes of water, fields, hidden
villages, now and then a farm house or fisherman's hut,
were materially heightened by a fabulous number of
boats, large lumber boats, boats carrying grain and other
field products to the larger cities and seaports, or return-
ing home with merchandise of every description, such as
coffee, rice, staple goods of every kind, dry goods, furni-
ture, etc. The shining white sails of these boats which
by the way are the floating homes of their owners, in-
crease the attractiveness of the pretty scenery under the
mild rays of the early morning sun. Everything looked
charmingly fresh. x\fter leaving Spandau, there was a
decided change for the worse. As far as the eye could
see, there were fields and fields and nothing but fields
and prairie-like monotony. The crops, too, looked poor-
ly, as the soil is too sandy to give much encouragement.
The low hills here and there resemble the stretches of the
far-away ocean so much that I was tempted more than
once to look round for the missing waves. Notwithstand-
ing the apparent scarcity of vegetation, the neighborhood
soul, filled with the love of Freedom, which caused him to leave
an unsympathizing country in order to seek liberty of body and
mind in free America. — Transl.
34 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
seems to be pretty well inhabited and somehow or in
some way the people must make a living.*
Here and there a little forest of fir-trees made a wel-
come change during the monotonous trip. We passed
Nauen, Paulinenaue, Friesack, Neustadt an der Dosse,
Zernitz, Wilsnack, until we reached Wittenberge, which
has a branch custom-home, where all passengers and
goods coming from Prussia were requested to undergo
slight formalities without the annoyance of revision, how-
ever. After Wittenberge, the desert— for no other name
is applicable to this barren, desolate country, where the
eye can feast on nothing but shrubbery, mostly withered,
from which now and then you see a stunted fir-tree arise,
which casts its forlorn glance about for companionship,
for the old adage, "Misery loves company," seems to
find its echo even in the vegetable kingdom.
As if we were to drink the cup to overflowing, it began
to rain in torrents right after we left Wittenberge and
nothing could have made this desert look sadder. When
we reached Boitzenburg, having passed Grabow, Lud-
wigslust, Hagenow in quick succession, the weather for-
tunately cleared up and gave us a chance to view this
pretty little town and its refreshing surroundings. Here
one obtains a good view of the low lands of the river
"Elbe," which is quite an agreeable change for the eye
of the lonely traveler.
After Boitzenburg— another desert, until one reaches
Schwarzenbeck, which is situated on a hill. The moment
one arrives at this station everything seems to change as
if by magic. One may here behold a most picturesque
rural scene. Here and there a village with its friendly
church steeple, brooks winding in zig-zag lines through
the little valley. Little forests here and there, proud to
show off in their new spring coats, all of which combines
*They do, by raising potatoes and grain for starch mills and
distilleries, and in later years, by raising sugar beets for export,
which is encouraged by a government premium, of which young
Lecouvreur had no knowledge at the time. — Transl.
BERLIN TO HAMBURG 35
to offer the traveler a refreshing change. These pleasant
scenes continue all the way to Hamburg. We passed
Friedrichsruh, Reinbeck, Bergedorf and reached our des-
tination at three-fifty p. m.
Hamburg and the Hamburg People.
To take a much needed rest I went to the hotel "City
of Kiel," near the station; but changed quarters the next
morning, and am presently located in the "New City of
Berlin" on the Monkedamm, near the great "Merchant's
Exchange." Hugo arrived Friday morning from Berlin
and since then we have been rooming together. We get
along quite well and have laid our plans so as to make
our stay as inexpensive as possible, for there are in mi
merable channels by which our little money can be spent.
For breakfast and supper we bought bread, butter, cheese
and sausage. I may say, wholesale, so as to save the high
charges in local restaurants; for our daily noon meal,
which is the only square, warm meal of the day, we have
discovered a plain but very respectable inn, where we
are well served for eight Hamburg shillings (about twen-
ty cents). Once in a while, when we feel particularly
hilarious, we buy a bottle of wine, which costs but six or
eight shillings, and very good for the money.
Though I am exceedingly disappointed to have to
waste a whole month doing absolutely nothing, it cannot
be helped and the best thing one can do is to follow the
advice of a great modern philosopher: "Under all cir-
cumstances keep an even mind."*
The time between the twentieth and thirtieth may be
legally charged to the local shipping agents, Knohr and
Burchard; for it is stipulated in the legal provision, re-
ferred to, that a sum of twelve shillings a day be paid
during the time of delay, where date of departure has
*Young Lecouvreur seems to have taken this motto through
life as his magic staff, leaning upon which, he overcame difficul-
ties which to others appeared insuperable. — Transl.
36 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
been agreed upon and said delay caused unwarranted
expense for the person concerned, provided berth shall
ha,ve been engaged under such conditions. In my case it
only amounts to about three German thaler, but I shall
surely not let Knohr and Burchard be the gainers. What
is good for them is still better for me. You will readily
understand that Hugo and I live as economically as snails
— faute d' argent. Yv T e seldom venture out during the
forenoon, but are generally at the great "Exchange" by
one o'clock, about two we have our dinner, after which
the daily pleasure walk, which mostly starts or ends at
the Harbor. Between seven and eight o'clock we return
home, where we at once proceed to bed in order to save
candles. Thus we spend day after day. I have every
reason to be grateful to Kosenstock for his letter of rec-
ommendation to Heinrich Bartsch; this gentleman assists
me in many ways and shows general interest in me; but
of this I shall write later. Now a few words about Ham-
burg and the Hamburger people, in as much as I have
had opportunity to judge of them during my short stay.
If someone were to ask me to personify Berlin I should
not hesitate in comparing her to a vain, coquettish, yet
well-mannered, middle aged but still attractive Lady of
the Court; but Hamburg— that is quite a difficult propo-
sition.
Hamburg, seen from different sides, impresses one dif-
ferently. The magnificent harbor, the beautiful Jung-
fernstieg (Maiden-Promenade), the Alster, the great Ex-
change, the Old-Town, the suburbs St. Pauli and St.
George— each represents a type of its own, and still
through them all winds its way like a red thread, the
Merchant Prince.* You find him everywhere, on the
promenades, in the Opera as well as in the many lesser
theaters, concert halls, beer gardens, wine cellars, restau-
rants — mostly subterranean— everywhere the merchant
prince. All Hamburg breathes commerce. As the "Ex-
*Commercienrath, a mere title, given by sovereigns to favorite
bankers and merchants.
BERLIN TO HAMBURG 37
change" is situated in the very center of this Metropolis,
one need not be surprised that it has become the soul of
all material and intellectual lift' here; he who doubts it
will easily become convinced if he pays a visit to the said
place about "Exchange time," i. e., from one to two in the
afternoon. The Exchange opens promptly at one o'clock;
at ten minutes past the gates close and every late-comer
has to deposit a small fine except, I am told, if he is an
active member of the Board of Commerce, to which, how-
ever, only a limited number of the most influential mer-
chants are eligible. The inner hall measures about two
hundred feet square, but a few minutes suffice to fill ev-
ery inch with humanity, so that, viewing from the gal-
leries, the spectator can see nothing bnt one black mov-
ing mass, head on head, mostly adorned with the indis-
l^ensable headgear of a Hamburg merchant, the tall,
black silk hat. A double row of arcades, supported by
immense pillars, surround the inner hall. The Exchange
reading rooms, the assembly rooms of the Board of Com-
merce and the reception parlors are right above the ar-
cades, while the main hall has an immense skylight for
its roof. The galleries, whence one can watch the whole
jyroceedings, are about thirty-live feet above the ground
floor, and entrance to the different library and committee
rooms is effected from there.
All those rooms even are so filled with people during
exchange hours that one can scarcely pass. And yet,
there is a system governing this immense busy bulk of
humanity or merchant body. Every branch of commerce
has its circle and every member of that circle has his
place, elbowing his sharpest competitor in the most har-
monious manner. The polished floor itself is marked
with well-measured squares, circles, triangles and the
like figures, whereby the respective members may know
and remember their stand. There is the banker's, the
exporters', the commissioners', the dry goods merchant,
the ship-brokers', the stock-brokers', the cotton mer-
chants' and numberless other circles. Harmony reigns
supreme and the old Hamburg motto: "The keener the
38 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
competition, the greater the fun," seems to pervade ev-
erybody and everything. What a sight for the onlooker
from one of the galleries, where every stranger, who has
not come on a business mission, goes to watch the world 's
marketing. ♦
Many a foreign potentate of civilized and uncivilized
domains visits the Hamburg Exchange and marvels at
this industrial bee-hive of the old Hansatown, which was
founded by Charlemagne in the year 811 A. D. It was he
who granted the city free trade and a special legislature.
But my thoughts return to the Exchange. What a con-
course of nationalities. Within the space of half an hour
one may converse with natives from every corner of the
globe. You hear German, French, English, Dutch, Span-
ish, Danish, Flemish, Norwegian, Swedish, Russian, Sla-
vonian, Persian and many other tongues, which I heard
spoken during my few visits. The whole has something
fascinating and yet stupifying. I have been there three
times without being able to give an exact description of
this truly overwhelming experience. No stranger should
leave Hamburg without having visited this center of com-
merce, this soul of the commonwealth, for Hamburg is at
the Exchange, as the Exchange is Hamburg in bulk.
No wonder, then, that the galleries are adorned with
representatives of the beautiful sex from all parts of the
world.
While the building itself is not particularly remarka-
ble for its architectural beauty, there is certainly some-
thing imposing about it which tells the new-comer almost
instantaneously: "This is the Exchange of the world's
market." I felt impressed that way when crossing the
Adolph's platz for the first time, facing the main en-
trance.
Hamburg, May 7th, 1851.
I commenced this letter yesterday and will endeavor to
continue it now at my leisure until it will be long enough
to send to my beloved ones at home.
Having tried to picture the Exchange in the few lines
BERLIN TO HAMBURG 39
above, I shall now proceed to give you a short description
of the harbor, where I am a daily visitor.
Hamburg and the suburb of Saint Paul extend about
three English miles along the eastern bank of the "Elbe;"
one-half of this distance is generally known as the "In-
ner Harbor," where mostly smaller vessels congregate,
such as carry freight up and down the river as far as
Bodenbach Tetschen-Bohemia., and of which I have made
mention in one of my previous letters. The seaport
proper is at the mouth of the ' ' Elbe ; " it is about half a
mile long and takes in the whole width of the river which
measures about seventeen hundred and fifty feet. The
so-called "Gate of the Habor," which divides the city
line from St. Pauli, is sharp on the bank of the river and
about one hundred feet wide, reaching to a small hill,
called Stintfang, the top of which is flattened and fenced
in by cast-iron railings. I went there last evening for the
first time. The weather was beautiful and I ascended the
hill with a certain amount of reverence. Do you, my be-
loved ones, still remember the beautiful scene which was
one of the main attractions of the "Konigsberg" picture
gallery: "Hamburg, as seen from the Stintfang?" How
often, during my childhood days, did I look admiringly
upon that scene, while my thoughts earned me to the
Elbe and the many, many ships of all nations and to the
immense mass of houses of the old Hansatown. It was
one of my favorite dreams. But yesterday, I did not
stand admiringly in front of the picture; I stood, behold-
ing in fact that ocean of moving vessels on one side, and
the innumerable buildings on the other. Really and
truly, it was no dream, but rather a more impressive real-
ization. My feelings are difficult to explain. I drew all
kinds of comparisons between the painting in the Home
Gallery and the original, the magnificent living picture
now before me; again, I compared the sentiments which
enlivened my mind in childhood days to those of early
manhood; in other words, between the time when, filled
with a child's pure, happy confidence, I dnred to laugh
at the future probabilities of life and the present, when,
40 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
having perhaps the happiest and most instructive time
of my life behind me and entering upon an uncertain
future not altogether without distrust in my own inward
strength, though full of faith in the wisdom and goodness
of God. The school of life is not altogether new to me,
I have had some very severe experiences and am only one
among the many who will have to find means of existence
in it. However, confidence in Providence, and in our
own inner self, and an earnest persevering will, have done
great things at all times, and I propose to do my share.
There is nothing more attractive in Hamburg than the
harbor-site, as seen from the Stmtfang, at the foot of
which the visitor beholds a panorama never to be forgot-
ten. One observes three rows of piles along the bank.
The large ocean vessels are chained to these piles and
between the rows which form perfect water avenues, one
observes small and large freight boats, lighters, which
carry the merchandise to and fro. This is necessary, as
the hundreds of steamers and large sailing vessels can-
not all anchor conveniently without being seriously in-
commodated by the tides. Vessels, which cannot find
proper accommodation on entering the immense harbor,
have to anchor in the middle of the Elbe until some out-
going boats make room for the newcomer, which pro-
cedure is well regulated by the harbor commission and
carefully watched by the harbor police, who patrol the
waterways with painful regularity.*
Looking about, the searching eye cannot penetrate the
acreages of sails, masts and riggings, which are appa-
rently made the more solid by the constant smoke and
coal-dust arising either from the many ship-galleys or
*During the last twenty years about one hundred and fifty
million marks, i. e. something like thirty-eight million dollars,
have been spent in rebuilding the docks and enlarging facilities
for transient-storage, which fact has made this harbor superior
to the old rivals, Liverpool, Amsterdam and Antwerp. And all
but ten million dollars were raised by subscription-bonds among
local merchants and bankers, which will give the reader an idea
of the immense wealth of that city. — Transl.
BERLIN TO HAMBURG 41
from the chimneys of the numberless lighters and little
steamers, which are running up and down the river by
day and night, for work never stops. Vessels load and
unload constantly, as the saving of time as well as the
nature of the cargo very often demands immediate at-
tendance. The inclemency of the weather in winter-time
is particularly the cause of many hardships. On one
occasion, I am told, that the non-shipment of forty thou-
sand bags of potatoes cost the shipper a small fortune,
as his goods were destroyed by the intense frost which
set in, while awaiting storage in an English vessel.
There are four unbroken lines of vessels from all na-
tions, of all shapes and build, four seemingly endless
chains of merchant fleets; all along St. Pauli and the
neighboring town Altona and far beyond it, one can see
them busily engaged in loading and reloading their car-
goes. As one hears at the Exchange languages of all
civilized countries, so does one perceive in this metro-
politan harbor flags of all nations of the earth, even Bra-
zilian and Chilean colors. And what beautiful vessels
one sees! They often resemble men-of-war rather than
merchant vessels, bent upon their peaceful and harmoni-
ous missions. There is, for instance, the "Gutenberg,"
one of the Hamburg- American passenger liners near the
"Baumthor," which carries immense freights, besides
being one of the best fitted passenger steamers, recently
built after the most approved plans. It is named after
our "Johannes Gutenberg," the inventor of the first
printing press. There are many such beautiful vessels
in plain sight, though they are not all as large as the one
mentioned.
Let us return to the "Stintfang View." One can only
see a. comparatively small part of the older city and the
quaint old buildings, which have little attraction for the
ordinary sight-seer. The other parts of the city are gen-
erally hidden from view at this time of the year, as the
prevailing fog obscures the so-called "new city," i. e.,
that part which has been rebuilt after the fearful con-
flagration in 1S42; though the early spring sun may try
42 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
for days to clear the view, it seldom succeeds until later
in the season. But the view of the Elbe up stream, and
of the little green islands here and there, is truly delight-
ful. One can see the Hanoverian coast with its forests
and coated hills lining the blue-trimmed horizon for
miles. I shall visit the Stintfang as often as possible, for
there more than elsewhere the familiar scenes of home
and longings of the past are brought before my mind.
No matter whether in company or not, I shall never feel
lonesome in that place. The sun had long sent its fare-
well rays, when I finally made up my mind to seek my
temporary abode. During the night following I dreamt
of our "Exchange Garden," probably because I had
thought of it on my way to the hotel from the Stintfang,
Just at this moment, being earnestly at work to famil-
iarize you with Hamburg scenes, I am pleasantly inter-
rupted by the arrival of your welcome letters, dated the
second of May, a. c, and containing messages of love
and cheer from you, dear father, my darling mother and
my beloved sister, Marie. Nothing will prevent me from
reading, enjoying and re-reading them, after which I
shall set to work answering these love-whisperings at
once, and Hamburg and the Hamburgers, however inter-
esting they may be, will have to wait.
Hamburg, May 8th, 1851.
First of all let me thank you a thousand times for the
comforting messages contained in your letters. I am
really and truly happy, because you all have written so
lovingly and given proof thereby that your thoughts are
much more in sympathy with my doings than they were
before, or immediately after my departure. I person-
ally have come to the conclusion that it avails little or
nothing to worry 7 about things which cannot be altered.
And there I seem to hear the well-known air of Flotow's
latest production, "Martha, or the Market of Rich-
mond:" "Happy he who can forget that which worried
heart and head."* No matter how much pain it may
*Flotorr's opera, "Martha," appeared in 1846. — Transl.
BERLIN TO HAMBURG 43
give us, let us be stronger than pain, the deepest wounds
of which will heal under the soothing influence of Father
Time. It was easy for Lessing to suggest in his immor-
tal "Nathan the Wise" that: "No man is ever compelled
to accept dictation" (Kein Mensch muss miissen). Hap-
py he who never experiences the contrary, but pity him
who is not only forced to accept, but who has to dictate
his own sentence. I have been one of the latter; I was
compelled to leave Konigsberg. (As mentioned in the
preface, the author had to leave his home for political
reasons.) You wished to know, dear father, who had
supplied me with recommendations. I had three for
Hamburg, two of which have already done their good
work, i. e., the one from Kosenstock to Heinrich Bartsch,
whom I have already mentioned, and one from Malmros
to the Prussian Consul-General,* Wilhelm O'Swald, who
in turn sent me two very good recommendations, one for
Franz Hallmann, Valparaiso, and the other to Gent,
Schott, Duncker and Bottcher in San Francisco, Califor-
nia. Both letters are written in most flattering terms,
owing to the warm recommendations Malmros had given
me; this is a great point gained, as the firm William
O'Swald & Co. ranks very high in commercial circles, in
fact, its world-wide reputation is such that the signature,
if attached to a young man's introductory letter, carries
great weight. My third recommendation was from the
Exchange broker Kalan to Louis Dubois, who contem-
plates going to San Francisco himself, where he hopes to
get settled by the end of next summer. He is a cousin of
Bartsch and as I have only had one slight opportunity of
speaking to him, there is little to be said at this time, but
that my first impression left me hopeful. Besides the
above mentioned there is a letter from Markwald,
Konigsberg, to his brother in San Francisco, who now
happens to be in Bremen and may arrive here any day.
*Before 1871, each one of the separated principalities of the
Fatherland, had an accredited representative near the seat of the
government of the other. — Transl.
44 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
Of course, I shall lay in wait for him, to surprise him with
his brother's letter, when the time comes. Finally there
are two more letters from Eosenstock, one to Emil Bott-
eher, junior partner of Gent, Schott, Dunker and Bott-
cher, and the other to his brother, Eugen Eosenstock, in
which he praised my talents and good qualities in an al-
most impudent manner. He has often proved to be a true
friend and no matter how fate may deal with me in fu-
ture, I shall always bear him and his many kind deeds in
grateful remembrance. W. O'Swald has requested Franz
Hallmann to further aid me with recommendations.
Aside from these, I may be able to obtain one here and
there, as I shall be on the lookout, wherever opportunity
may present itself, so as to be well provided when I leave,
the "Konigsberger Zeitung" is apparently not to be had
around here and your clippings and quotations will there-
fore be greatly appreciated, the further away I shall find
myself from home.
You mention that the "Nix" stranded at Mauenhaken
on the Swin6 river (to be pronounced Sween'ay), which
occurrence is not new to me, as I saw it with my own
eyes; how it happened, nobody on board seemed to be
able to explain. As I told you in one of my first letters,
we were almost alongside of the "Nix" and exactly op-
posite the pilot's house, weighing anchor about the same
time as the great steamer, which had two splendid ma-
chines of about 240 horse power, enabling her to speed
along rapidly until the time of the accident, which hap-
pened while I was standing near the capstan watching
the course of the fast moving vessel in whose wake we
were cruising, when behold, she turned to right angle
course, and, as the Swine near Mauenhaken is not very
broad, it took but very few seconds to see her stranded
upon the low, shoal-like shore. The assertion that the
length of the "Nix" checked the power of the rudder is
laughable, as even the largest vessel will obey the steer-
ing, provided the mate attends to business and holds
tight; the man at the helm of the "Nix" did his best in
this respect. Many thanks for Meyhoffer's and Yogt's
messages.
BERLIN TO HAMBURG 45
Now let us return to the description of Hamburg and
its inhabitants:
The architecture of the city, taking it all iu all, is
rather old-fashioned as may well be imagined, when one
considers that this old Ilansatown celebrated its millen-
nial existence half a century ago (1811). I have even
seen mediaeval facades on many buildings which have
arisen from the ashes after the great fire of 1842, which
wiped nearly one hundred and forty streets and two gi-
gantic church edifices, St. Nicholas' and St. Peter's, out
of existence. From May 8th to the 11th, the disastrous
flames raged, demanding many a human sacrifice and the
loss of millions of property. The newly laid streets are
wide and straight but many of the old ones which were
spared during the fire are decidedly crooked and narrow,
while the squares arc small. Berlin, in this respect, is
ahead, liven the sidewalks are poorly paved and only
such great and fashionable thoroughfares as the Jung-
fernstieg, Alsterdamm, Grosse und Hohe Bleichen, Alter
and Neuerwall, Herrmann and Ferdinandstrasse, Speer-
sort, Schauenburgerstrasse, etc., etc., are exceptions. The
grading and plastering otherwise is decidedly a credit to
the municipal government and the street department in
particular. The cleanliness is greatly aided by the many
channels, broad and narrow, which cross the city in every
direction. All streets, as well as the public buildings,
have ample gas supply.*
Follow me and I shall take you in imagination to the
Esplanade, thence to the Alster, after which I shall close
this letter, else you may be tempted to apply the yard-
measure to it. But, Hamburg is interesting enough to
engage one in writing letters of this length every day.
One has to visit the "Esplanade" either early in the
morning or late at night. Hamburg is encircled by what
*Remember, kind reader, that this, as well as all the following
descriptions were written long ago. Progress has since wrought
wonders, for the public-spirited people of Hamburg spare no ex-
pense nor trouble to make their city as attractive as possible. —
Transl.
46 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
was formerly known as the ' * Def enseditch. " As this
ditch had to be well planned in order to fit the difference
of height between the Alster and Elbe waters, the level
of the latter being much lower than that of the former, it
is trnly astonishing that both depth and width of this
' ' defense ditch ' ' vary according to the height of the part
of town it cuts into; and measures, in places, from forty
to one hundred and twenty, at others from sixty to two
hundred feet, thus resembling a river of some importance.
Where the waters of this belt wash the city proper, a
more or less high wall has been erected, which keeps in
exact parallel with the zigzag of the ditch itself. In
later years this wall has been utilized in beautifying the
city. In many cases, parks of considerable beauty have
thus been created. As such a picturesque chain of im-
provements from Berlin Station, to the Upper Harbor,
thence to the Harbor Gate, measures nearly three English
miles, and appears with a width of two to seven hundred
feet, you will easily imagine the impression such a sight
affords to visitors. Hamburg is indeed to be envied, for,
as a. matter of fact, not a city in Northern Germany can
boast of such a promenade, such artistic improvements,
botanical and otherwise. True, Berlin has its "Thier-
garten," larger, perhaps, but it is, after all, but a tame
comparison with these promenades, which end at the
' ' Stintfang, " with which I have already attempted to
acquaint you. The fact*that I loiter every day in the
"Esplanade" does not require special mention," as every-
thing is so fresh, so green, and the happy birds sing
merry spring songs; why should not man, both young and
old, inhale the balmy air in long draughts? Does it sur-
prise you that I roam about for hours during my en-
forced stay? This is the very time of the year which our
only Heine describes in his beautiful lines:
"Im wunderschonen Monat Mai
Als alle Knospen sprangen
Da ist in meinem Herzen
Die Liebe aufgegangen."
BERLIN TO HAMBURG 47
(In the wonderfully beautiful month of May
When all the buds are unfolding,
Then Love arises in my innermost Heart.)
The Jungfernstieg and Alster basins with surrounding
promenades and villas have been so often described and
pictured that it does not need my attempt. But one scene
has not been included by traveling reporters, the fairy-
like appearance at night when thousands of gaslights
convert darkness into day, and envelop the crowds which
take their evening strolls along the magnificent prom-
enades while thousands of illuminated palaces along the
Jungfernstieg and Alsterdamm are reflected upon the
mirror-like dark blue waters of the Alster. This is hardly
describable and 1 willingly desist from further attempts.
You will probably have to burn midnight candles to fin-
ish reading this letter, though you may have started
early enough in the day. Next time, more.
Good bye! Love, my heart's love, to all who love me!
I write no names, but I have forgotten none. However,
before anyone else, I kiss you, my father and mother, a
thousand times, knowing full well that no one loves me
like the dear ones at home.
(Signed) FRANZ LECOUVREUR.
Herewith an extract from a San Francisco letter:
Extract.
from the letter of a young merchant, E. B., dated San
Francisco, January 29th, 1851:
Among the papers which I lately received, there are two con-
taining articles al>out California. These articles are so full of
untruths that I should surely send in rejoinders, if my time would
permit it. As it is, this short communication of a private nature,
will have to do. The exaggerated description of the horrible
attack upon Sacramento City was nothing more or less than the
ordinary assembling and dispersing of a common mob. The
murders and incendiary attempts mentioned are purely imaginary.
As far as San Francisco is concerned the writer was not alto-
48 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
gether wrong. But if "Hell," with which the same person com-
pares it, has no worse features, nor greater horrors, the poor
souls of the damned will have a comparatively good time. Dante,
the immortal Italian poet, describes that part of the Hereafter
with quite different colorings, and, as he is said to have been
there, in a trance, I suppose he is an authority in that particular,
as I claim my own right to describe San Francisco as I find it.
The timid author of the letters afore mentioned should also
have considered the fact that it takes fully two months before
the public over there sees or hears of it and that such a space of
time alone is sufficient to bring about the most wonderful effects
and changes, in a country like this. We have strong breezes in
summer-time, yes, and occasional sand-storms but, that people
are actually in danger of being enveloped by sand beyond recog-
nition, is a myth. Since last October, the streets have been
planked and this has therefore put almost an end to local sand-
storms. The climate itself is healthy and strengthening and only
he who ignores the most ordinary precautions, which every cli-
mate requires, particularly of a stranger, will suffer sickness, and
very -often blame the country or the people in the long run, rather
than his own carelessness. As to crimes, robberies, murders, we
find them the world over, even where the best organized police
forces try to prevent them, why then should not a new country
like this have them, where there is so much of the tough element
and no pasport-revision or other means of banishment ? Gambling
houses are running, it is true but, is it not likewise true that they
are carrying on their nefarious work in the best regulated cities
abroad? Is it only very recently that the Paris authorities re-
vised the ordinances against gambling and are not our German
Watering resorts afflicted with evils of a very similar nature?
Or does the fact that the latter cases provide an annual income
for certain princes change the criminal aspect? Well, in this
country the people are the sovereign power and the profit derived
from such establishments fills the pockets of the citizens who have
just as much right to it as the "Princes *by the Grace of God."
"Progressive education," continues the San Francisco cor-
respondent, "helps to wipe out this evil and as public opinion
is decidedly against it, the time is close at hand when the people
will bring about a welcome change. In fact, I just read in to-
*The translator wishes to remind the reader that this letter had
been written in San Francisco, even before Mr. Lecouvreur's de-
parture from home, and merely had been enclosed in his May
letter to the latter's parents, as it contained a refutation of former
publications in provincial organs, which had prejudiced the fam-
ily very much against young Frank's desire to choose San Fran-
cisco for his future home.
BERLIN TO HAMBURG 49
day's paper that a number of citizens from 'Central Sharp Dis-
trict' have signed a petition for the removal of gambling dens.
If a murder occurs in such places, we need not be astonished,
that the people take little notice of it, as the American does not
waste many words, where he feels that it cannot mend matters.
Every one knows what he has to face in such places, particularly
if the luck should come his way and, if he nevertheless visits
them, he will have to take his medicine in case of trouble. If I
choose to enter certain establishments along the Hamburg Water-
front or in any other large city, I may run the same danger,
though I be in the midst of European civilization.
There is quite a good deal of building going on here and solid
brick structures find universal favor. Sidewalks too, are being
laid ; carriages for hire are to be had at the market place and a
drive about town costs five dollars. Erench shoe-blacks will give
your shoes an immaculate "shine" for a suitable compensation.
French and English theaters, concert halls, balls, Olympic games
and circus companies offer quite a variety of amusements. There
is actually talk of a gas plant, which some enterprising men ex-
pect to erect before very long. Does not such a progress give us
a hopeful outlook for next year? Agriculture too has its tri-
umphs. We are enjoying the finest cauliflower, the best of pota-
toes, turnips, cabbage and many other vegetables. But flour and
butter are still imported as there is not yet enough of the local
product, though it will not be long before that too, will be a part
of our 'Home Industry.' "
LETTER NO. Ill
Hamburg, May 16, 1851.
I have always maintained and, still more, have always
found my convictions continued, that ships as well as
human beings, often reveal their character by their out-
ward appearance. To the initiated they are just like
men, at times light-headed and frivolous; again serious
and solemn, pleasant, sullen, melancholy, easy going,
swift, clumsy, top-heavy, some, lacking in character, and
other solid as a rock. In the last named category I count
the "Victoria." Having ascertained at Knohr and Bur-
chard's, the sbipbrokers, that this vessel, which is to carry
us to the New World, was still in dock at the well-known
Godefroy's Wharf, which is located on the Hanoverian
side, in the village "Reiherstieg," island of Steinwerder,
our curiosity became duly aroused. We hired a little sail-
boat and went to examine the vessel, which was to be
our floating home for many a day. The "Victoria" is a
fine bark, carrying about three hundred tons; but owing
to the fact that she was heavily laden and consequently
deep in the water, we saw but very little of her hull.
Shape and frame are just as I like to see them, well cut,
broad overleaning bow, notwithstanding which the ves-
sel is graceful in build, and has an evenly-running deck,
without quarter. As a few planks had been temporarily
removed from one of the sides, I was able to obtain a
glimpse through the solid, closely set ribs. The Victoria
is painted, as is customary with ocean vessels of its kind,
black, with broad white trimming around the waist, in-
cluding eight bulls-eyes for small cannon use on either
side. The riggings are very strong and heavy, well pro-
portioned, too; the sail-yards are unusually broad and
give the ship almost the appearance of a man-of-war. To
50 •
HAMBURG: GENERAL IMPRESSIONS 51
be brief, I am extremely well pleased with my explora-
tion. Unless appearances are absolutely deceiving, I
venture to say we shall have as good a vessel during our
voyage as could possibly be desired. There seems to be
a scarcit} 7 of transatlantic passengers, at least to South
America. So far, we three are the only ones, according
to Knohr and Burchard. In mentioning the "Victoria"
I cannot omit describing some harbor sights. Yesterday
I saw four vessels, bound for New York, take on board
their human cargo— the "Gutenberg," the "Leibnitz,"
the "Oder" and— the name of the fourth vessel escaped
my memory. All were immense, three-masters, of at least
six hundred tons each. The sight of wholesale shipment
of emigrants is truly amazing and no one described it bet-
ter, in fewer words, than our noble Ferdinand Freiligrath
in his poem "Die Ausivanderer" (The Emigrants"*).
One has only to walk along the shore for half an hour
to see representatives of all German Principalities (this
was fifty years ago.— Tr.) ; here he may listen to the many
dialects and look wonderingly at the gay costumes, pecul-
iar to the various sections of our beloved Fatherland.
Men, women and children were lying, standing or loung-
ing upon boxes, bundles or mattresses, waiting for the
wherry-boat, which was to take them and their belong-
ings on board the ship. These Hamburg wherry-boats are
very numerous on the lower Elbe and serve in forwarding
immense cargoes to and fro. They are indispensable for
the wholesaler; and an occasional strike among the
"Ewerfiihrer" or wherrymen is as much dreaded as that
of the longshoremen, though they are two very distinct
sets of workingmen. One ran witness such emigration
scenes several times every week, though not always in
as great a measure as I saw it yesterday. The reason for
this is that the influx of emigrants is the largest about the
beginning and middle of the month. There were at least
eight or nine hundred people shipped yesterday, as it
*This poet is the Longfellow of Germany, whose "Hiawatha"
and other poems he so beautifull} translated'. — J. C. B,
52 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
was said that all four vessels were well crowded, not only
with German people, but with large numbers of Slavoni-
ans, Austrians and Scandinavians in their picturesque at-
tire.
During the first days of this week, there embarked a
large number of Schleswig-Holstein soldiers, who had
been enlisted for Brazil; they sailed for Rio de Janeiro
on the Hamburg bark "The Colonist." What a tribe!
I would not have trusted my corpse to be shipped with
them. Such specimens of humanity !— ragged, drunk, day
after day, with but a very few honorable exceptions.
With two hundred and ten of these fellows on board of
the "Colonist," which, at the most, can hold but three
hundred tons of cargo (sixty English tons), you may
fancy how those poor fellows were crowded together.
This first expedition is soon to be followed by another
one from Altona on Godefroy's "Caesar," a vessel of
about twice the capacity of the "Colonist," and which
is to take four hundred ' ' impressed soldiers. " It is said
that the government has put a stop to foreign enlistments
and, indeed, one does not see quite as many of these fel-
lows, who are easily recognized by their ragged appear-
ance, with the Brazilian colors, red, yellow and green,
displayed on their straw hats, and the loud noise they
make in roaming about the streets.
I have just returned from a walk along the harbor.
At the "Baumthor" I witnessed the departure of a bark,
which was likewise filled with the same class of "Brazil-
ians." All were joyful and apparently contented, while
I felt overcome by sadness. When the sails began to fill
the vessel slowly glided down the river; all joined in the
familiar German folksong: " When I come, when I come,
when I come home again, I shall call, sweetheart, on
thee!" Poor fellows, will any of you ever return to see
your sweethearts? True, nobody who goes out in search
of a new home, can answer that question. Happy he who
does it in a joyful frame of mind. Toward evening there
arrived the German man-of-war "Ernest August" from
Bremen, a magnificent vessel of unusual size. Both
HAMBURG: GENERAL IMTRESSIONS 53
masts, being rigged like schooners, overtowered many a
handsome three-master. The German flag, with the eagle
in golden field, waved bravely in the air. May it be hon-
ored everywhere as on this proud steamer! Unfortunate-
ly I received bad news on the arrival of the " Ernest Au-
gust," news which had a depressing effect upon me. Re-
membering that Fritz Benefeld had served on board of
this vessel, I inquired after him and heard from one of
the cadets that he has contracted dropsy in the chest, and
little hope is entertained for his recovery. He was left
in good care at Bremen. Too bad, he was a brave, good
fellow! However, I, too, am said to be a brave good fel-
low, and shall have to die some day, nevertheless!
May 17, 1851.
During the whole of last week we have enjoyed unin-
terruptedly the most beautiful weather, which added
greatly to our pleasure during a number of little excur-
sions into the outskirts of Hamburg. Unfortunately one
1 is to limit one's time as the closing of the city gates at
stated hours of night prevents the enjoyment of an ex-
tended recreation.* Last Sunday, for instance, we walked
across the so-called "Hamburg Mountain" to Altona
and thence to Ottensen. When leaving the inner
city by the Millerngate, one is confronted by an im-
mense lawn, the walks of which are lined with beautiful
trees on either side; the center is cut by a fine, broad
avenue, which, as you approach Saint Pauli, is adorned
with nice new residences, and leads directly into the main
thoroughfare of the above mentioned suburb. This street
is called the Eeeperbahn, which name is the Low German
for rope-makers' alley, said tradesmen having formerly
occupied these parts and some of their long narrow work-
shops, which resemble modern bowling alleys, are still
shown in the neighborhood. This avenue, which, as I
said before, runs from the Millernthor to the Eeeper-
bahn, is called "Hamburger Berg," though one can hard-
*The wall and the gates are no more in existence, though the
old names still mark the respective places, — Transl,
54 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
ly distinguish it on a week day from any ordinary large
square in other cities. But the "Hamburger Berg" on
Sundays is well worth seeing. Fancy to yourself the
wildest noise, such as you hear in county fairs in small
towns, only twenty or thirty times worse, with crowds
corresponding to the noise and you will obtain a fairly
good picture of the scene, which enlivens the "Hambur-
ger Berg" on Sunday afternoons. Everything to be seen
and heard, as long as there is money in circulation. There
are: Penny museums, acrobats, menageries, dancing bears,
monkeys on hand-organs, manipulated by Italians, who
have trained the little animals to present a cup for col- s
lection of stray pennies; organs of all kinds, dimensions
and sounds; harp players of either sex, and in their re-
spective national garbs; merry-go-rounds; wild men from
Borneo and close-by realms; Punch and Judy shows, and
thousands of other things. Between the tents there are
tables, filled with southern fruits and sweets, at astonish-
ingly low prices. Italian oranges are exhibited on these
occasions in marvelous quantities. Thousands and thou-
sands of people, representing all nations and classes of
humanity crowd the walks, eating, drinking, smoking,
merry-making. Most sight-seers are seafaring men, sol-
diers, servant girls in their odd Hamburg style of dress-
ing; the ever present, ever shouting, ever drumming,
trumpeting, whistling, happy Hamburger boys are not to
be forgotten; their number is legion, their watchword:
fun. After one has taken in all the sights and side-show
wonders of the "Hamburger Berg" one arrives at St.
Pauli proper, which is the most notorious suburb of the
metropolis. This notoriety, however, fits only that part
of the locality where sailors, ferry-men (Ewerftihrer)
and the rougher shore and saloon element have their
abodes and stamping grounds. The upper St. Pauli has
nice, respectable, well populated streets, which show lit-
tle life on work days, a strange fact, which all suburbs of
Hamburg seem to have in common, as the only parts
which are populated during working hours are the busi-
ness quarters, the exchange and the water front, where
HAMBURG: GENERAL IMPRESSIONS 55
the world's commerce is enacted par excellence. The
border line between St. Pauli and the adjoining city of
Altona is marked by a ditch six to eight feet wide, the
odor of which suggested a change to the least sensitive.
Unless one pays special attention, the entry into Hostein
territory is scarcely noticeable; the streets run right
through, and the style of building seems to indicate no
special change, so that the aforementioned ditch and, per-
haps, the change of names of the thoroughfares, consti-
tute the only landmark. Altona, meaning " too-near-by, ' '
is built in the same style as the old Hansatown. Its exist-
ence is the outcome of a bet between rival merchants of
Hamburg. The streets are mostly crooked and narrow,
the houses old-fashioned, tall, gloomy, each one of them
brings to my mind the ghost of some petrified mayor or
burgomaster, or senator, caused, I presume, by the abun-
dance of rare old sculpture and relief work which adorns
the facades. There are, of course, a few real nice streets
and places, the Pallmaille, being the most noteworthy on
accoimt of its width, which admits of four avenues,
adorned with linden trees. Magnificent residences at-
tract the eye on either side of this beautiful thoroughfare
and remind one of the celebrated "Unter den Linden"
in Berlin. The monument of Conrad von Bliicher, sec-
end cousin to the immortal General Blucher-Wahlstadt,
is another ornament of Pallmaille; in him the inhab-
itants have honored one of their noblest citizens. The
immense steam levers at the freight section of the large
station of the Altona-Kiel Kail road aroused my interest
greatly. The station is well located on the high bank of
the river Elbe and the aforementioned steam levers lift
from a hundred and fifty to two hundred weight with
an ease and a. rapidity that is truly astonishing. It takes
but two minutes to raise such loads and place them
wherever wanted. These levers are constantly at work
and well worth watching; they operate even at night
when business is brisk. Passing the railroad station, one
immediately enters the village of Ottensen, just as un-
suspectingly as is the crossing of the Hamburg-Altona
56 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
border. In the middle of this village stands the church,
surrounded as is customary in our own villages of East
Prussia, by the churchyard. Ottensen has three cele-
brated graves, beautifully described in Friedrich Ruck-
ert's poem: "The Graves at Ottensen." The first one is
marked by a simple stone; it is located close to the church
and seldom without flowers, which his countrymen and
foreign pilgrims lovingly place upon the last resting place
of one of Germany's greatest poets, F. G. Klopstock, the
author of the "Messiah." The second grave of note,
much larger, but just as unpretentious, is a sad reminder
of the cruelties of war. In 1813, when Napoleon's most
heartless general, Marshal Louis Nicolas Davoust, Duke
of Auerstadt, Prince of Eckmuhl compelled General
Tettenborn (a German commander in temporary service
of Eussia) to vacate Hamburg, he imposed a fine of forty-
eight million marks upon the city and crowned his god-
less work by driving thirty thousand poor from their
homes and out of the city during the ice cold Christmas
night, while some of his hordes set fire to that quarter
of the town, just vacated, after appropriating the little
they could use. A holocaust of eleven hundred persons,
mostly aged or very young, who were unable to with-
stand starvation, cold and sickness, were found dead or
dying on Christmas day in the fields near Ottensen, while
the church bells were announcing the coming of the Sa-
vior! And the remains of these victims are mostly bur-
ied in this simple spot of gentle, all-embracing mother
earth.*
*A recent article stated that the descendants of Marshal Da-
voust were endeavoring to fasten the responsibility for the above-
mentioned crime upon subordinates, and circumstances beyond his
control. To them and such as they, the prophecy of Ruckert is
addressed in words like these :
"In this grave lie buried a generation nigh,
"Who from their silent chamber to the God of Justice
cry,
"They call for help from Heaven,
"Out of their humble grave,
"To Him, Who loves the lowly
"And frowns upon the knave." — Transl,
HAMBURG: GENERAL IMPRESSIONS 57
Close to the wall of the little church one finds the third
grave. Little is left of the humble tablet which once bore
the name of the silent dweller, Charles William Ferdi-
nand, Duke of Brunswick, who had been a true successor
of the long line of noble rulers, and who had proven his
great valor and love of country by laying down his life
in the battle of Auerstadt, in which the infamous Davoust
won for himself the title of "Duke." Strange coinci-
dent! The noble Brunswick, wounded unto death, was
taken to Ottensen, to find his future resting place, in the
same village graveyard, where the victims of Davoust 's
Christinas holocaust were to share his fate, seven years
later.
Leaving this memorable spot, we do not find much time
for meditation as the close-by "Rainville" soon con-
vinces the stroller, that things are yet very much alive
in Ottensen. Rainville is a favorite pleasure resort for
Hamburg and Altona working people. It is built in ter-
races on the high bank of the Elbe, and consequently of-
fers a beautiful view of the Hanoverian mountains, which
adorn the opposite shore. Eainville is particularly well
patronized on Sundays, on account of the delightful con-
certs, which draw the music-loving middle class. Last
Sunday, for instance, a band of fifty musicians from the
Italian Infantry Regiment, Wellington, enraptured the
hearers. "What music! Not until then did I realize how
dances, especially waltzes, ought to be played. The Aus-
trian bands, for instance, play hardly anything else,
though occasionally they give a march and more rarely
an easy selection from some favorite opera. However, no
matter what their program may call for, they play their
parts well. Difficult compositions are not chosen, pre-
sumably because the musicians realize that their audience
here would not fully appreciate such efforts. This is true
in most cases, where, as in Rainville, the audience is ex-
ceptionally large. Everybody seems to give the Italians
the preference over their rivals. "We remained last Sun-
day several hours in Rainville, as I could neither sat-
isfy my longing for the beautiful views which it offers,
58 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEX GATE
nor did I tire of listening to the beautiful, lively music,
notwithstanding that the Austrians had their turn this
time. Toward evening we returned to our dwelling place
by the way of the picturesque suburb of Eimsbiittel.
Hamburg, May 18th, 1851.
Such a walk as I took a week ago and which I endeav-
ored to describe to you in my letter of the day before yes-
terday, offers much diversion and much food for thought-
ful minds. Whenever the Hamburg weather is favorable
on Sunday afternoons, one can see all Hamburg on foot,
to inhale a breath of fresh, country air, or of the sea
breeze, in one or another resort. Of course, one has to
be a good sprinter to get the full benefit, as it includes
often miles of walking upon stony sidewalks before he
reaches the country roads. Those who have carriages
at their disposal are, of course, at an advantage. All
hotels, inns, coffee gardens, beer gardens, from the most
select to the poor man's resorts, are crowded with hu-
manity, though the number of such country resorts is
truly amazing. Everywhere is music, from grand or-
chestra concerts, to plain dancing hall music, and the
Hamburg people do love to dance, so much so, that I be-
lieve they would feel very much out of place where music
and dancing are not at least a part of the program. The
dances are the ever present, unavoidable gallop and the
so-called Ehinelander or Polish Radowaczka, in which the
merry-makers constantly change position from right to
left— which is certainly very amusing to look upon, as
most of these people know quite well how to dance. Let
it be understood, however, that the dancing public varies
in the matter of etiquette and manners, according to the
resort they frequent, though it struck me very peculiarly
that the women dancers seem to be less particular
whether they dressed in silks and satin, or in the plain
cotton of the farm hand: girls as well as boys are em-
ployed on German farms and work in harmony; they are
simply all out for a good time, caring little for ceremony
and etiquette. The fact that most of them address each
HAMBURG: GENERAL IMPRESSIONS 59
other with the familiar "thou" characterizes the free
and easy spirit which prevails during these Sunday after-
noons. One thing has surprised me especially: the ele-
gance and luxury with which places of public amuse-
ments are fitted up; I am at a loss to describe them, as
what I witnessed in Berlin does not begin to approach
them. This is not only true of the larger establishments,
such as the Tonhalle, Appollo-Saal and many others, but
even ordinary beer and wine resorts everywhere abound
in luxury. The gardens have generally long rows of
beautiful arbors of choicest climbers, often costly impor-
tations from foreign lands. These arbors are so arranged
that each division has its table around which green
benches complete the furniture, inviting the visitors and
their friends to a pleasant rendezvous, be it en famille
or otherwise. And it is in just such places where the
tired clerks and storekeepers, as well as others, meet to
talk shop, or more likely to divert themselves in various
ways as inclination may suggest. These beer gardens
are seldom peopled in day time— except Sundays— but by
eight o'clock in the evening you will find every one of
them crowded, and merry laughter fills the air. The
inner halls of these resorts are mostly well frescoed or
elegantly draped and papered. Be it said to the credit
of the Hamburg people that they are very moderate in
the use of alcoholic drinks. One may sit for hours with
the same glass of beer and a cigar, while enjoying a pleas
ant chat with a neighbor. Though there happen to be
nearly thirty thousand Austrian soldiers in and near tin'
city, one seldom sees them mix with citizens or partici-
pate in public frolics; if they do, their presence always
marks modesty and politeness and twenty Austrian offi-
cers do not make nearly as much noise as four Prussian
ensigns. It consequently does not surprise me that the
Austrians enjoy a better reputation in Hamburg than the
Prussians, who are not at all liked here.*
*This statement is absolutely true, for the reason that the
plain, cosmopolitan-spirited Hamburger cannot and will not bar-
GO EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
May 19th, 1851.
The most beautiful flower in the wreath of villages and
beauty spots which surround this eity of many attrac-
tions, is Blankenese, whither I went a week ago to-day.
The banks of the Elbe from and below Altona resemble
in character the ocean beaches, and if I were to make a
comparison with our home coast I should choose a spot
near Neukuren, where the little birch forest runs seem-
ingly into the ocean, including the sea-bordered land-
scape near AVanger-Spitze.
At the end of two hours of walk below Altona, the
beach forms a small bay, more picturesque and higher
than I have ever seen, in the midst of which a sharp eye
may discover a miniature valley, from the middle of
which arises, on terrace-shaped walls, the beautiful vil-
lage of Blankenese. Every house, every hut and barn
lies either in the midst of pretty floral display, or is al-
most hidden by aged, wide-spreading trees. The terraces
make the laying out of streets superfluous, but here and
there one finds stairways facilitating access to the dwell-
ings. No matter whether one approaches Blankenese
from the shore or from the inland road, the same over-
powering scene awaits the visitor; and strange, indeed,
is the variation that greets the eye on every step. Here
nature is powerfully fascinating; one moment the view of
the village is completely hidden by a chestnut grove,
while in the next linden, acom or fir trees barely permit
a glimpse of the sun-kissed waters of the Elbe and the
mountain chain beyond, which appear to guard the king-
dom of Hanover. Blankenese has the appearance of a
mighty gatekeeper or sentinel at the mouth of the Elbe.
On the top of the elevation is the famous old Inn sur-
rounded by a beautifully laid out garden, from which
point one can view the rich Holstein farm lands for miles,
and watch the peaceful herds enjoying the fresh green
monize with anyone, who assumes to be "better than thou" on
every occasion. It is, however, truly surprising that the young
traveller should have been keen enough to observe it during his
very short stay in the Hansatown. — Transl.
HAMBURG: GENERAL IMPRESSIONS 61
pastures. A turn upon your heel and the scene has
changed from Nature's own garden to the ship-laden
waters of the Elbe with another view upon Hanoverian
plains, dimly visible in the "Far West." The road from
Ottensen to Blankenese, in itself is worth a good tramp.
The long line of magnificent residences, with their finely-
planned gardens, of wealthy Hamburg merchants, de-
light the eye on either side of the Boulevard, for such it
is in reality. The stately carriages, with their uniformed
attendants, ever ready to do the bidding of their aristo-
cratic masters, are part of the scene, which is particularly
enchanting wherever a glimpse upon the waves of the
river is to be had, or where the high hedge of hawthorn,
which hems in the greater part of the Eastern side of the
road, permits a glance upon the afore-described rural
scenes of Holstein. Though I have tramped considerably
through these parts, I have not discovered any portion
of land on which grain had been raised. One only finds
squares of twelve to fifteen hundred feet of pasture, each
square marked by a formidable hedge. I passed several
hours upon the Sullberg watching the ebb tide, which
slowly compelled every vessel upon the river to stop its
course for a certain time. One by one, schooners, ferry-
boats, fishing smacks, even little pleasure seekers, which
but a few minutes ago enjoyed the gentle rocking of the
waves, were compelled to obey the law of Nature, which
makes it almost possible for a man to wade through the
river bottom, i. e., near the shore. Not the slightest
breeze could be felt. Here and there, from more or less
distant chimneys arose small columns of smoke; now and
then it conveyed the odor of fried fish and potatoes, which
reminded me of the approaching night. The moist sand
along the bank was too inviting to be overlooked, and so I
chose it for my return route to the city. Deeper and
deeper went the setting sun with its brilliant colors, beau-
tifying the small clouds on the azure sky, and recalling
to my mind the words of Galileo: "And yet it move-."
After a while T seated myself upon a large stone, watch-
ing tiny waves disappearing in the sand; the windows of
63 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
the little fishermen's huts shone reddish from across the
river, until one after the other apparently lost its bril-
liancy and slowly disappeared entirely from my horizon.
The shadows grew until the last glimmer of the setting
sun kissed the tree tops a hearty farewell — altogether a
scene beautiful to behold. Soon all had become a thing
of the past, a mere remembrance. The opposite hills
grew darker and difficult to recognize. The air was pure
and refreshing and so quiet that I sometimes fancied I
heard the ringing of bells such as cows carry when out in
pasture. Everything was quiet and peaceful around me,
while I was writing in the ocean-sand the names of my
beloved ones in the far away home. First yours, father,
then mother's, then the name of my beloved Marie, not
forgetting Maurice close by. When I had finished my
dream, I continued my tramp homeward, my pathway
being illumined by the silvery moonlight, while a thin
white fog commenced to veil the rural scenes across the
river. It was late. "When I reached ,the gate it was
closed, which meant a fine of four Hamburg shillings!
That was certainly a damper to my sentimental cogita-
tions. What business does a reputable merchant's clerk
have to sit dreaming upon a stone and write names in the
sands of the Elbe, making thereby a fool of himself?
Fine: four shillings in Hamburg currency!
May 19th, p. m.
During the three weeks which I have been compelled
to spend here there has been a fire and a flood. The fire
occurred one night last week and devoured four or five
houses on "Kehrwieder.'.'* * Such fires are not consid-
*Translator's "note.— The old Kehrwieder was a typical tene-
ment district on the waterfront, inhabited exclusively by long-
shoremen and water-rats, as the thousands of wherry-men are
called in Hamburg dialect. This neighborhood is now part of
the magnificent "bonded ware-house district" called "Freihafen,"
where foreign importations may be stored as "transient," escap-
ing thereby whatever duty they may be subject to, provided the
transfer to other parts occurs within a given time.
HAMBURG: GENERAL IMPRESSIONS 63
ered very important, though it generally means a loss of
one or two houses, notwithstanding the excellent working
of the local fire department, and the fact that there is
an abundance of water everywhere in the numberless
channels which are winding their often crooked way
through the thoroughfares of the Hansatown. As for
the relief work of the fire department, it is done most con-
scientiously. I counted no less than twenty-two hose
services, supplied by as many pumps, which were well
handled by strong men and not as at home, by half-grown
hoys. Taking all that into consideration, the cause for
the rapid spread of the fire can only be found in the mis-
erable construction of the tenements themselves, which
are mostly so crooked, so high, and in the meantime so
given to decay, that the term "fire-traps" would never
be more appropriately applied.* A real fire alarm, such
as causes the whole population of Konigsberg to turn out
at the burning of a barn, is unknown here. The first
alarm signal in this city is given by more or less shots
from an artillery cannon on the Dammthorwall gate; the
number of shots fired indicates the degree of seriousness.
The immediate neighborhood in which a fire occurs re-
ceives warning from the permanent tower guard of the
church in the vicinity or parish, in which it happens.
These guards reside in the church steeples, two or three
hundred feet from the ground. During the conflagration
of May 5, 6, 7 and 8, 1S42, there occurred a remarkable
incident: The large church of St. Nicholas (Nicolai-
kii'che), one of the five gigantic Lutheran edifices, had
taken fire and no possible aid could prevent its doom.
While the flames were approaching the magnificent
*The translator remembers having seen tenement houses in
that very district, which harbored one hundred and twenty to one
hundred and fifty families each, on a lot of about 45 by 125 feet.
Jacob A. Liis in his world-famous books "The Making of an
American," "Giildren of Tenements," and "Battle with the
Slum," as well as, "1 low the < Hher Half Lives," has not exagger-
ated the deplorable state of affairs, which originated in Europe
and of which rich old Hamburg has unfortunatelv her share.
64 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
tower, all eyes were riveted upon the well-known balcony
from which the faithful guard (Thurmhiiter) had sound-
ed the tocsin, or, at nine o 'clock, played nightly the mel-
ody of some well-known hymn for many a year. Word
had been sent up that his life was in danger, but to no
avail. He watched the progress of the destructive ele-
ment and when the heat of the flames and the smoke
became too intense, in other words, when the falling of
the tower and his certain death were but a question of
minutes, he once more raised his trumpet to his mouth
and sounded the famous old hymn: "Em' feste Burg ist
unser Gott!" (A solid tower is our God!) Hardly had
he finished when the earthly tower, which had given him
shelter for so many years, fell with a crash, burying its
last and noblest guard under its ruins, a martyr to duty.
No Hamburg native speaks of that conflagration without
honoring the memory of the greatest hero of that disas-
ter, by relating these facts. To return to our thread:
Tolling the district fire-bell in daytime is supplemented
at night by the patrolman's horn and his very measured
shouts of: Fire! fire! fire!— "Kehrwedder," or announc-
ing whatever neighborhood of the district may be endan-
gered. As mostly natives apply for the positions of
patrolmen, these notices are generally given in low Ger-
man, a typical "Hamburger Plattdutsch." The more
unruly the element, the oftener one hears the tolling and
the announcements. During the Kehrwieder fire, for in-
stance, I counted fifteen of those much dreaded alarms.
There is as little commotion noticeable among the inhab-
itants during a storm flood, as in time of fire, three can-
non shots, in rapid succession, announce the impending-
danger. As long as the flood does not rise too high the
numerous water gates (being closed at the sound of
alarm) protect the city from invasion, which threatens
especially the inhabitants of the cellars, who are mostly
small dealers in vegetables, liquors or small goods, with
here and there a cheap restaurant. The real danger
arises when the water rushes over the tops of the water-
gates, which is said to be a rare occurrence; when it does
HAMBURG: GENERAL IMPRESSION'S 65
happen, however, most cellars of the old city become
uninhabitable, and one sees every portable piece of prop-
erty piled up along the sidewalks, all of which is but the
work of a few minutes, as the second and third alarm,
suffices to put the cellar-dwellers on their guard. The
Bight, particularly when it happens at night time, is often
heartrending; imagine distracted citizens, sick or well,
old or young, with babies in arms, driven into the street
during an icy winter night. Fortunately, even this con-
dition is looked upon by the long-suffering people as an
unavoidable evil, and is therefore taken philosophically.
These floods, aside from the great inconveniences just
described, leave always an army of rats and other unwel-
come guests behind, with which all seaports are more
or less infested.
Fire and water remind me of an extremely practical
though very expensive arrangement. Here and there the
visitor observes in the middle of the street a funnel-
shaped opening about three feet in diameter, which leads
into an immense out-fall sewer, the building of which
has cost the city millions of marks. These sewer chan-
nels are six feet deep and four feet wide and form a well-
laid sewer system, extending throughout the city, having
for its only object the removal of sewage from the houses
and streets to the Elbe. This system was introduced by
an English engineer shortly after the conflagration of
1842. An obstruction of this sewer has never occurred
so far, and strange as it may seem, the city has never had
a cent's worth of repairs on this sewer since the opening
nearly ten years ago. The cause may be found in the
spacious and solidly built channels, which are thoroughly
cleaned by flushing, at least once a month. This clean-
ing is done by opening a single water gate of the Outer-
Alster, whereupon the water rushes with a thundering
roar into the subterraneous tunnel-like conduits, remov-
ing thereby every particle of garbage and refuse in a
very few hours, as if thousands of shovels and brooms
had been at work. To give you a more exact estimate of
the power with which the water removes all sewage, the
5
66 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
final triumphal experiment of the engineer may be
related: When his last inspection had satisfied his own
expectations, he invited the Senators of Hamburg to wit-
ness a public exhibition of his magnificent success.
Marked rocks of about three hundredweight each were
thrown into the sewer at different points, to test the force
of the rushing water, and behold every one of those rocks
disappeared and was afterwards discovered at the outlets
of the respective conduits; not one had remained in its
place. At stated times visitors may inspect the system,
and even royal visitors are counted among the eager spec-
tators. But let this be enough for to-night. The evening
is so beautiful that I am tempted to go out for a walk
through the city.
May 21st, 1851.
Somehow I cannot tear myself away from this letter
and no matter how often I decide to take it to the post-
office I change my mind to add one or the other thought
which just happens to cross it. It gives me such inex-
pressible pleasure to chat with my beloved ones for half
an hour, when and wherever I feel like it, to tell them
whatever I may have seen, heard or experienced. Yes-
terday I took a walk along the famous Jungfernstieg
(Old Maid's Path) toward the Alster-Arcades, after hav-
ing enjoyed a cup of coffee at the Pavilion. When I was
about to turn into the Grosse Bleichen there appeared
suddenly a strange procession of still stranger figures,
clothed in the costumes of buried centuries. I thought
I was dreaming until I became convinced that it was a
reality, that I had a living, though mediaeval picture
before me. Two by two, with measured step, they turn
around the corner, where Grote-Ipmato's cigar store is
located. Solemn as their walk was their whole appear-
ance, reminding one of Heinrich Heine's
"Men of darkened mien and mantle
Spanish ruffles 'round their necks,
Dangling sabers, long drawn faces," etc.
HAMBURG: GENERAL IMPRESSIONS 67
Tliey looked just as the great lyric poet described them.
Well! I thought the king's down had bitten me ( a Ger-
man idiom reminding one of Charles Dickens': "I'll eat
my head"), when the whole proved to be a— funeral pro-
cession! These strangely attired figures which passed be-
fore me were Hamburg coffin-bearers, who, as I after-
wards learned, form a very select guild. Their costumes
are too uncommon to omit, as you will surely appreciate
the description. These men, to begin with, wear highly
polished shoes with satin rosettes about as large as a
medium sized saucer, their nether extremities are hidden
in velvet knee breeches, and long black silk stockings,
attached to the former by immense silver buckles, all of
which, if intended to hide the crooked limbs— for all
those coffin-bearers had crooked limbs and no calves— 4
fail in their purpose. Next comes the waistcoat of black
broad-cloth, with ungainly but snow-white cuffs, cover-
ing part of the hands, while broad ruffled collars of spot-
less linen encircle the long necks of the bony wearer,
making the head appear like that of St. John the Bap-
tist, presented upon a plate or like a ball of nine-pins
placed upon a mill-stone. From their shoulders falls a
short Spanish cloak, and the hair— if they have any—
is carefully hidden under a snow-white wig, the principal
ornament of which, consists of two well tallowed and
twisted curls on either side of the lengthy face. But I
must not forget the sword which fits this professional
pall-bearer as a cat's tail would fit a duck.
Having read this true description of a Hamburg coffin-
bearer, place yourself in my position, and tell me if it is
not enough to make one's hair stand up straight, when,
being a stranger, after reading the "National Gazette"
or the "Fliegende Blatter" (Flying Leaves, Germany's
best humoristic paper), while enjoying a cup of coffee at
the Pavilion, one strolls aimlessly along the Jungfern-
stieg, meaning no harm but glancing admiringly, or other-
wise, at the latest Parisian styles for fashionable folks,
one is suddenly confronted by such an apparition. One
is carried bark — nolens volens— to the sixteenth century.
It actually stunned me.
68 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
Aiiotlier body of men curious to look upon is the local
militia or "citizens' guard," as they are commonly called.
It would do your heart good to see them. They are most-
ly tradesmen and artisans, tailors, glove-makers, etc.
They are indeed comical figures ; conspicuous among them
are the officers of this self-appointed soldiery. The uni-
forms, too, are as odd as their wearers, and funny; to look
upon. Long blue coats with blue velvet collars and cuffs,
white leather belts and helmets (rather "czakos," pro-
nounced tshaccoes, a semi-Russian head-gear), both such
as our Prussian army were wont to wear in by-gone years.
The genuine Hamburg soldier, however, is uniformed
after the new Prussian army outfit with the exception
of the dark green coats, while the helmets bear the Ham-
burg coat-of-arms— three towers— instead of the Prus-
sian eagle. These militiamen exercise regularly in a
large field called the "Biirgerweide" (i. e., citizen's pas-
ture), which is located just outside of the Dammthor.
The whole is looked upon by progressive Hamburgers as
a relic of the past, which like many others will soon van-
ish entirely.
The history of Hamburg, called Hamburgensien, is
said to be full of remarkably interesting incidents, and
has been made the subject of special study by several
renowned scholars, among whom, Dr. Otto Beneke, the
author of Hamburgische Geschichten und Sagen (Ham-
burg Tales and Legends), and the lecturer, Dr. Rudiger,
have endeared themselves particularly to the native
Ilanseatic. The most remarkable one of the first named
tales and legends is the "authentic visit" of Ahasuerus,
the wandering Jew, who is said to have visited Hamburg
during the winter of 1547, which was his very first ap-
pearance in Europe. The chronicle describes him as of
tall, bony figure, poorly clad and of decidedly foreign
look and mien; he wore a long white beard, and though
apparently not more than fifty years of age, his long hair,
too, was snowy white. He was exemplary in his de-
meanor and edified the worshippers in the house of God.
A young theologian, Paul von Eitzen, undertook to in-
HAMBURG: GENERAL IMPRESSIONS 69
terview this strange man, and obtained the following ac-
count: Ahasuems by name, and shoemaker by profes-
sion, he had already been living at the time of Christ in
the city of Jerusalem, his native place. Like most of his
fellow-men, he had mistaken Jesus for a sectarian and
a revolutionist and, in unison with many others, had de-
manded the crucifixion of the Master. AVhen the proces-
sion, headed for Calvary, passed his house, he, Ahasuerus,
refused the suffering Savior even a moment's rest, driv-
ing him off in a rude manner so as to be esteemed for his
cruelty by the Pharisees. Then the Christ, lookly sadly
at the infuriated Jew, spake these words: "I only wished
to rest a while, but thou hast refused me, wherefore thou
shalt wander upon earth until the day of judgment com-
eth." After hearing these words, he felt an indescribable
longing to witness the crucifixion, during which he ex-
perienced so great a change of heart that, repenting his
deed, he left Jerusalem to do penance for his sins and
has been homeless ever since, a living warning to all
unbelievers and scoffers and destined to become a living
witness against the Jews on the last day. He suddenly
disappeared and visited this city but once more, says the
chronicle, and that was in A. D. 1606.
May 22nd, 1851.
Yesterday afternoon I met Vogt from Konigsberg and
Rudolph Ehlert as well as one Kullack, ex-lieutenant of
the Schleswig-Holstein army, with whom I spent a very
pleasant evening in the Walhalla, a delightful resort on
the Outer-Alster-Basin, where good concerts and moder-
ately reasonable priced refreshments help one to forget
the time. Sommerfeld is rooming at the same hotel that
I am, just two rooms from me. He is awaiting money,
like so many other Schleswig-Holstein officers, every one
of whom expects to emigrate to America sooner or later.
Many of these poor fellows are really stranded bnt man-
age in some way to take life easy, true to the oM Saxo-
nian saying:
70 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
"Man muss das Leben eben nehmen,
Wie's Leben eben ist."
(One should take life just, as life just is.)
Tlie local beer-gardens and saloons have attractions
for the new-comer which are not to be found in Konigs-
berg. Nobody seems to be surprised to hear English,
Danish or Spanish spoken at one and the same table.
Not even a head turns unless it be that of a stranger,
like myself. I mostly spend my evenings at Diedrichs,
townsman from Elbing, who has done Olias and me many
a favor. It was there where I met a Turk the other night,
who only spoke a few words of broken English outside
of his mother tongue, but he got his beefsteak, played
a game of billiards and went away again without re-
ceiving any more attention than other guests. People
who have travelled for years in foreign lands, in America,
Africa, etc., speak of their experiences as if they were
every-day occurrences, and if any guest within hearing
distance tries to listen, depend upon it he is not a Ham-
burger. It has already happened to me on different occa-
sions to speak German to one and English to another
table companion, an easy matter when you become used
to it.
There are quite a number of Konigsberg and other
East-Prussians in this city. I meet many old acquain-
tances, most of whom will leave sooner or later for for-
eign lands. And rnarvelously good it seems to a fellow
to shake hands once more with one you have known —
back home — sometimes only a mere sight acquaintance.
Thus I met Grafe, son of the book-dealer, who intends
going to Venice in a few weeks. Voss, who is bound for
Liverpool in search of a living. Both were schoolmates
of mine. Briihl also is about to set out for America, i. e.,
Milwaukee via New York. One thing more that you will
appreciate. Seeing my prospective needs, I shall now
begin in earnest with the study of the Spanish language
and have consequently purchased Franceson's Dictionary
HAMBURG: GENERAL IMPRESSIONS 71
and an excelleni grammar by Jos.' Eusebio Gomez de
Mier, both upon friend Grafe's recommendation, who is
now employed in a local hook-store.*
Grafe and others assure me that the 1 Spanish Language
is very easily mastered by one who is studying not mere-
ly for pastime but Tor a purpose. The whole construc-
tion resembles the French and the irregularities are said
to be much better classified and less subject to excep-
tions. Thus I hope to make good headway, though self-
instruction is said to be of slow progress. Where there is
a will there is a way. Time will surely not fail me during
my long trip.
It just occurs to me that there still remains a bit of
Bertha's curiosity to be satisfied. Tell her that the
"glass-street" which she has heard others mention is not
altogether a myth, but looks different from what the
sound of the word would suggest. One finds here out-
side of regular thoroughfares -by land and water— quite
a number of passages for pedestrians only. These are
intended to facilitate communications in large blocks and
are, in reality, tunnels within said blocks, having the ap-
pearances of streets, with stores, cafe's, etc., which gener-
ally receive their light through immense arched transoms
which top the sides of these tunnels. They are called
passages, for instance, the Exchange, Arcade, Praetz-
nian's and many other passages. The Hotel de liussie
on the Jungfernstieg is thus tunneled, having a glass
bridge transom that measures ninety by three hundred
and fifty or more feet, so that this immense opening in
the five-story building looks at the first glance like a
large hall, the sides of which with their finely polished
plate-glass windows give the whole — particularly when
*The memory of Gomez de Mier is still cherished by many who
have been benefited by his teachings as has the translator. A
noble soul, who devoted his busy life to the service of his own
native land by increasing its foreign commercial interests and
thereby cementing the union between two -'"eat nations, yea hem-
ispheres. Prof. De Mier spent many of his best years in I lam-
burg, where, as he expressed it, every foreigner feels at home.
n EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
lighted— the appearance of a glass-arcade. This, then,
must be the street referred to. It is called "Alster
Arcade. ' '
I close right here, in order not to run the risk of tiring
you, my beloved ones, with this almost endless letter.
Before going on board I shall doubtless write once more.
Meantime I send thousands of most heartfelt greetings
to all who bear me love.
Most affectionately
(Signed) FRANZ.
Pardon the translator a few words in defence of his native
place, i. e., as far as St. Pauli and its manifold pleasures are con-
cerned, which some American readers may want to criticise. The
grand old Hansatown is a cosmopolitan seaport — eleven hundred
years old — of a set character ; St. Pauli is, as the author already
stated, the center of pleasure-seeking foreigners, mostly sailors
and visiting farm-hands. There the native Hamburger is very
much in the minority. — Germans drink their beverage as such,
but never otherwise. If therefore you think or hear of excesses,
treat them as exceptions if — which is rarely true — they can be
laid to the door of a native. The Northern German especially,
despises intemperance, though very few are total abstainers. —
J. C. B.
Transl.
LETTER NO. IV
On Board of Bark Victoria, off Hamburg, near Gliick-
stadt.
June 6th, 1851.
My Beloved Ones:— Floating at last! I have been on
board the " Victoria" since the second of this month,
though we did not leave the Hamburg harbor until a
quarter to six yesterday afternoon. I am informed that
there are fifty-seven steerage passengers and six cabin
passengers on board; of all these only ten are bound for
San Francisco, the others will stop at Valdivia or Val-
paraiso. My first impression of my fellow-passengers
leads me to believe that I struck a very companionable
crowd. There are some from Wiirtemberg, Baden, Hesse,
Saxony and comparatively few from Prussia. As I ex-
pected they are mostly good middle-class men of some
education. "We have also a few women and children on
board. There is already a certain spirit of harmony
among the passengers, which seems to increase as the
hours roll by. Among the cabin passengers we count a
Dr. Donner— member of one of the oldest and most re-
spected of Hamburg families— who is booked for Val-
divia. Of course we do not know each other by name
just yet, but it strikes me that the way to mutual appre-
ciation is being paved rapidly, as every one on board is
seemingly bont upon studying how he can contribute to
that harmony and happy condition, which are so desira-
ble on a long and uncertain voyage like ours. As our
staunch vessel had previously attracted my attention, so
now do the passengers seem to add to the contentment
T feel on board the ship. The crew also is well chosen.
There are seventeen of them: The captain, first and sec-
ond mate, carpenter, cook, eight experienced and two
younger tars; also two apprentices. A fine body.
73
U EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
Our table arrangement is very simple About half-
past six in the morning each one of us steerage-passen-
gers gets two quarts of coffee; at twelve o'clock, dinner,
and at six in the evening, tea, about as much as coffee. At
present fresh bread and butter is given morning and
evening, which will later be substituted by so-called
" ship's zweiback" and butter, as much as we care to eat.
We agreed to take our turns, i. e., one person for every
two cabins undertakes to go after the supply for a week,
divides and distributes the portions and does the dish-
washing for the time being — one week. The steerage
cabins are really arranged for four persons, but have
hardly more than half the number of occupants this trip.
As previously mentioned, we left the Hamburg harbor at
about six o'clock last evening from the neighborhood of
the English Reformed Church, a large but very plain
edifice. A few friends— old and new — spent the evening
on board with us, and I assure you their visit will ever
be remembered, as a few kind wishes, a live hand-shake,
a "God be with you" on the eve of a long voyage to an
unknown land and an uncertain fate, go far to overcome
that awful feeling of loneliness which even the bravest
of us would otherwise have experienced. Bartsch, Kirsch-
stein, Diedrich and Fritz Griinhagen, I thank them for
this favor.
You will probably have received my letter of the first,
which was wholly personal. Sister will be interested to
know how I fitted myself for the trip. Last Friday I went
to one of the many ship-chandlers where one can buy
from a. stick-pin to a complete sea-faring outfit, and
where I purchased the following goods for the price men-
tioned: One oil-cloth jacket and Southwester for five
Hamburg marks (about one dollar and a half) ; one plain
mattress with pillow, for four marks and eight shillings;
one double woollen blanket for nine marks. Further, but
do not laugh: Cooking-utensils, one soup plate, spoon,
butter dish, bottle and mug, together, one mark and eight
shillings. This completed my outfit. I now considered
myself in ''ship-shape" for the long voyage.
ON BOARD BARK "VICTORIA" 75
"We started with light south wind and within about a
quarter of an hour we had left the myriads of vessels and
commenced to set our sails. Our beautiful ship with all
canvas set and flying flags passed St. Pauli and Altona.
Nearly all passengers were on deck to enjoy the magnifi-
cent sight of the terrace-shaped banks of the Elbe, with
their country residences of Hamburg merchant princes,
surrounded by well-laid-out gardens, while on the other
side are large fruit farms on the so-called "Warders,"
little islands, a description of which I have already given.
We passed Blankenese shortly after seven. The wind
grew lighter, while the sun sent his parting rays across
the beautiful scenery. The water scarcely curled around
our vessel and the mirror-like surface of the Elbe was
soon covered with innumerable white sails of all sizes,
surrounding the magnificent three-master, whose im-
mense pyramid-sails cast a broad, dark shadow upon the
waters and passed along just as noiselessly as did the
small, easy-going fisher-boat, which was rocking toward
tiie owner's homestead that lay hidden amidst shrubbery
on one of the green islands of the river. The wind be-
came so light that it was impossible for us to reach
Stade; but we were compelled by the approaching dark-
ness to anchor temporarily on the Hanoverian coast and
a mile and a half from the town mentioned. That hap-
pened about ten o'clock last night. This morning about
four we started again and reached Stade by seven, where
another passenger joined our ranks, after he had delayed
us for two hours more. Thus we passed Gliickstadt at
eleven a. m. and anchored half an hour later to await
another turn of the tide before entering the wide ocean.
Here we are now, right in the middle of the beautiful
Elbe, which measures something like a mile and a half
from shore to shore (i. e., about five English miles). As
I intend to send this letter via Cuxhaven, I shall have to
break off that the pilot may take it ashore. You will
know by this the exact day, almost to the hour, when we
put to sea. Olias asks as a favor to have the enclosed
note forwarded to his mother.
76 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
I shall endeavor to send you one more message of love
and good cheer.
Sunday, June 8th, 1851.
We are still in the same place exactly where we an-
chored the day before yesterday, i. e., between the Han-
overian town Fryburg and the Holstein village Brook-
dorf. Yesterday I had the misfortune to break the rim
of my spectacles. While washing myself I had laid them
in what I considered a safe place, but one of our cabin
boys managed to break them, unintentionally, of course.
I have succeeded, however, in fixing them after a fash-
ion, so that they will probably stand the trip.
While the river did not show much life yesterday,
there was more of it on board. We had our first day of
" distribution," which means the laying in of the weekly
supply of bread, butter and sugar, which necessarily
caused much noise and racket, which was increased by
the carpenter's task of the day of driving nails through
the strap iron bands of the boxes; this is done in order to
fasten them together for the purpose of preventing the
otherwise unavoidable swinging and breaking when out
on the open sea. These were really the first intimations
that we had not merely gone on a pleasure trip, but on a
serious sea voyage. Other preparations, such as the secure
corking of the water barrels, fastening of life-boats, while
new to most of us, were nevertheless very tiresome and
noisy, thus making the day one of the dreariest we have
so far spent on board of the "Victoria." Toward evening
we rested from the annoyances of the day. Absolute calm
set in toward seven o'clock, and as a consequence the
river became as smooth as a mirror, while the shores
seemed to float in a mist of fog. The tolling of bells from
the Fryburg church could be plainly heard on board, and
they reminded us of the approaching Feast of Pentecost.*
*This feast of the Holy Ghost is much more observed in Luth-
eran countries than elsewhere and has become the herald of a
season of excursions and summer festivities, particularly in
northern climes. The approach of the "summer vacation," called
ON BOARD BARK "VICTORIA" 77
We all sat on deck until nearly eleven o'clock, and men
and women alike enjoyed the pleasant evening', enter-
taining each other with jokes, songs and general merry-
making.
Today it is raining— pouring, I should call it— as if
the water were emptied upon us by the bucketful. While
I am penning these lines the clouds seem to grow thinner
and here and there are indications of a -clear sky for the
afternoon— due perhaps to the ardent supplications of
Hamburg maidens who have set their hearts on airing a
new bonnet or even a brand-new dress on this, the open-
ing day of the season. And woman is the same the world
over. The wind is blowing from the west which gives us
little hope for an early start. We have been surrounded
by thirty or more larger or smaller vessels, in course of
time, all like ourselves are waiting for favorable wind to
speed along. Nothing is more discouraging than to be
nailed to one spot and to feel a breeze overhead without
being able to utilize it, as the Elbe, though very wide to
the naked eye, is but a narrow water in which ships like
the Victoria cannot course about to great advantage.
There remains nothing but to patiently await a favorable
turn of the wind. Meanwhile there is plenty of time to
plan and execute our preparations for the long trip which
is before us.
Tuesday, June 10th, 1851.
At 9 a. m.
My hope that the weather might clear up during the
afternoon of Pentecost Sunday was only realized in part
to allow us an evening recreation on deck, which oc-
currence brings the individuals closer to each other, and
shows a variety of amusing intellects which would sur-
prise you. Yesterday we encountered a genuine North-
sea storm. Of course, there was no possibility of sailing
on Sunday, and all the vessels which had come down the
"clog's days," which lasts four long weeks and not as we have it,
threw whole months, is joyfully welcomed by the young. — Transl.
78 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
river were obliged to anchor in our vicinity, as the Elbe
changes its course near Fryburg and thus neutralizes
the breeze that has helped them thus far. Yesterday's
storm raged with an intensity I never witnessed before;
and the rain came down in torrents. Our vessel, though
at anchor, was thrown on one side and rocked so terribly
that most of our passengers became sea-sick. I should
never have thought the Elbe capable of raising such im-
mense waves at this point. About eight o'clock in the
morning two> barks which were a little ahead of us
weighed anchor to go back to greater safety, an example
which was soon followed by four or five brigs and a few
schooners, so that we were actually left alone to hold the
fort— a circumstance which I thought rather amusing.
But about half-past ten we, too, began to get busy and,
though the whole crew and ten or twelve passengers were
working at the capstan and winding tackle, it took a full
hour to haul in the big chain, which measures in bulk
about twenty cords. We returned to Gliickstadt, where
we re-anchored at one o'clock in the midst of the vessels
which had left Fryburg before us. Besides, there were
many others which had come down from Hamburg, and,
like ourselves, were compelled to wait. As we were now
sheltered from the rough weather the water calmed and
our sick people soon recovered from their seasickness,
which in most cases baffled all description. During the
evening nearly all of them appeared on deck to enjoy the
fresh breeze, intermitted with slight showers. Our
evenings, as I have said before, are looked for with spe-
cial pleasure. Everybody seems gay and full of fun. Two
fellows especially, one Fabricius from Berlin, and a
Suabian by the name of Stolle, seem inexhaustible and
untiring in finding ways to amuse the crowd— a worthy
aim which is heartily supported by almost everybody;
though one always finds a few cranks in a large body of
peojjle. Aside from the two commissaries of good cheer
— Fabricius and Stolle— we have some very talented mu-
sical amateurs on board. There is likewise a raconteur,
who has seemingly a supply of anecdotes and Hamburg
UN BOARD BARK "VICTORIA" 79
legends that will last and amuse us for quite a while to
coine. Among our musicians there is a Tliuringian paper-
hanger, who is a veritable master of the Jews'- harp; in
this way we enjoy vocal and instrumental concerts and
timely after-dinner speeches, which are by no means to
be undervalued.
Our steerage has now a more respectable appearance,
everything being definitely placed, boxes fastened and
nailed together, so as not to disturb our rest by day or
night. The upper berths are so close to the ceiling that
1 can touch it when lying fiat on my back, yet the lower
berths do not have as much room. Yesterday we re-
ceived ship's fare for the first time: "White peas with
potatoes and pork. It was excellent; I ate two portions
of it, my own and that of a sea-sick companion, while my
thoughts drifted all the time to you, my dear father, who
delight in such a plain, healthful meal. Now if the com-
panionship continues in this harmonious and pleasing
maimer, if the rations of our daily supply do not grow
smaller, I, for my part, shall be well satisfied, knowing
that the quality of our food may undergo changes such
as outward conditions force upon us, and which we have
to accept be they to our special liking or not.
The red cap which Marie crocheted as a farewell gift
ornaments the head of a Schleswig-Holstein exile, the
well-known lawyer, Meyer, from Cappeln, who is like-
wise bound for San Francisco and whose headgear took
(light during yesterday's storm. I loaned him my cap
temporarily. Today it is raining again and the sky is
covered with grayish clouds. There is just a breath of air,
which seems to come from the East; should it grow
stronger by noon there may be a possibility of an early
departure. As matters look now we cannot get away
before the afternoon tide. AYe find patience to be the
ruling virtue at ixresent.
3 p. m., off Cuxhaven.
About a quarter to eleven this morning we started to
weigh anchor and, making use of a fresh northern breeze,
80 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
we succeeded in reaching Cuxhaven, a little sea town
within the jurisdiction of Hamburg. •■ This place is known
to all sea-faring men for its lighthouse, its old castle and
its fine beach, which also has become a point of pilgrim-
age for the neighboring populace; it likewise serves as a
military outpost and has fully, ten thousand inhabitants,
mostly engaged in ship-building and forwarding of car-
goes. Should the wind continue favorable, we shall sure-
ly reach the open sea before night. The weather is cold
and rainy and my oil-cloth suit proves a valuable acqui-
sition. My fingers are somewhat benumbed, which may
be attributed to the cold or other causes. A quick fare-
well is the best, therefore once more and quickly: Adieu!
Farewell ! To all you loved ones at home, whose love goes
out to me!
With filial devotion,
FRANZ.
P. S.— Griinhagen asks to forward his note.
LETTER NO. V
On board the Hamburg bark "Victoria," Captain Meyer
Between Valdivia and Valparaiso.
The 20th and 21st of October, 1851.
My Beloved Parents: — As has so often happened with
many others, so must this one begin with an excuse for
not having written from Valdivia, after an interruption
of nearly five months. Do not call it idleness on my part.
The blame is to be attributed to the government of Chile,
as the constant rebellions have been the cause of a com-
plete interruption in the mail-service between Valdivia
and Valparaiso. If I had therefore carried out my former
intention of at least notifying you of my safe arrival, the
probability is that my letter would never have reached
you. I shall, however, make amends by giving you a
very minute account of my voyage; but pray do not ex-
pect to hear of wonderful adventures or of hair-raising
accounts of narrow escapes and danger to life. "While
it is true that I had a long and disagreeable trip, particu-
larly in the last month, the voyage was not at all terri-
ble; even the disagreeable storms around the Cape were
no worse than other storms, though they used our ship
badly; there is less danger when one has plenty of space
and no land close by. You may read therefore without
worry; and especially you, dear mother, take my advice
and do not commence the letter at the end to get assur-
ance that I have still the use of my limbs. I am in as
good a humor as one can possibly be when— after a four-
months' trip— one has had a chance of enjoying the ro-
mantic sceneries of the impenetrable, virgin-forests of
the Chilean coast— las Cordilleras.
As I do not know whether my letter No. 4; which I
sent ashore at Cuxhaven on the loth of June, has reached
6 81
82 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
you, my beloved ones, I will now proceed to give a short
resume of its contents and, in reality, begin at the very
beginning.
It was a magnificent early summer evening, June 5th,
of the present year, about a quarter to six, when the
Mars-yards went squeaking up the masts of our "Vic-
toria"; a mild south-wind filled the sails; slowly, and
graciously the vessel careened lightly to the side and we
slid along the mirror-like Elbe. The customary volley
of salute was fired to bid farewell to St. Pauli (suburb
of Hamburg), and to the city of Altona; then gliding
noiselessly past the beautiful parks and villas which,
chain-like, present themselves along the banks of the
Elbe as far as Nienstadten; that charming little Blanke-
nese, became the object of the parting sun's rays, and
darker and darker grew the night, and about ten o'clock
we heard the lowering of the anchor near Stade on the
Elbe. After weighing anchor again at daybreak, we re-
mained an hour or more to take another passenger and,
passing Gliickstadt, were compelled by contrary wind to
anchor once more, about a mile below, in the middle of
the Elite between the Hanoverian town Fryburg and the
Eolstein P>rookdorf; it was then about eleven in the fore-
noon. The wind being S. W. and W. S. W., we could
not move and were compelled to remain here on the 6th,
7th and 8th. On the 7th we were treated to some great
noise. The carpenter nailed boxes of all kinds more se-
curely, principally in the steerage, and besides that there
were many other preparations, though not as necessary,
yet fully as noisy, which made the whole day a very un-
comfortable one. But the evening recompensed us for
the disagreeable day. The air was mild and absolutely
quiet. The waters of the Elbe surrounded the ship
like a shining mirror; the banks of the river seemed to
float in the bluish evening-fog; and bells of Fryburg
tolled softly and solemnly through the air— announcing
the Eve of Pentecost. Never has an evening like this stim-
ulated the mood of a dreamy mind more. I followed si-
lently the dictates of Nature and choosing the most se-
■^ q
THE OCEAN VOYAGE 83
eluded spot, I allowed my thoughts to run as they would,
and there i ; no need of telling you of their course: you
are quite aware of it, beloved ones.
The first day of Pentecost, as you already know, was
spent on the same spot; the weather was cold, it stoi;
and then it rained hard. Many vessels passed during the
day, bound outward, but all had to cast anchor near us.
On Monday we had a hurricane from the West, of such
severity that one ship after the oilier was compelled to
weigh anchor and return up the river, seeking- shelter.
We, too, had to follow suit soon after twelve o'clock and
reached Gliickstadt about one, where we anchored again.
The waves rose so high that the rapid rolling of the ves-
sel caused many of our passengers to become seasick.
The following day was not much more agreeable, as the
rain came down in torrents. The wind veered fortunate-
ly to the North, so that it became possible for us to weigh
anchor during the forenoon, and to proceed toward Cux-
haven in company with about twenty other vessels which
were, like ourselves, sea-bound. We reached the light-
house at three o'clock p. m. and anchored about a quar-
ter of a mile off the coast. Being in hopes that we would
continue our trip right away, I sent the afore mentioned
letter ashore at once. In this, to my great chagrin, I was
disappointed, as the wind changed to the Northwest,
which compelled us to cultivate patience for another day,
as we were unable to move. To make it worse, this day,
too, was a rainy one and nobody will blame me for being
in ill-humor when evening came. Being compelled to
spend a whole week in rainy weather on the Elbe, when
one is conscious of having about four thousand miles of
travel ahead, is not the thing to improve one's temper.
Angry with the weather, with Hamburg and Cuxhaven,
with the I and North-Sea, with myself and fellow-
passengers, I crawled very early into my berth and soon
fell asleep, notwithstanding the pouring of the rain and
the splashing of the waters against the rolling ship. About
three o'clock In the morning of dune the 12th, I was
aroused by the rattling of the anchor-chain. I hastened
84 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
on deck. The morning was beautiful and the fresh W. S.
W. breeze filled every inch of our sails in a short time.
About five o'clock we reached the light-house of Neu-
werk, built upon a barren island, which is most of the
time under water. Within half an hour more the pilot
left us near the inner light-boat and about seven o'clock
we passed the outer light-boat in company with a large
Hamburg steamer, after which we went swinging up and
down the blue, foam-crowned waves of the North-Sea,
which had a gruesome effect on the health of our passen-
gers. Before we had caught sight of the reddish, glitter-
ing rock of Heligoland— about 7:45— our ship became the
scene of general seasickness. The steerage in particular
had become a real den of misery, which I entered but
once or twice during the day. There were six other pas-
sengers— Griinhagen among them— who escaped seasick-
ness altogether. Though we did not approach Heligo-
land closer than about two miles, we kept sight of it un-
til four o'clock in the afternoon. During the day we had
met numerous vessels sailing toward the Elbe and Weser,
but in the evening we passed right between a fleet of
eighteen Dutch, herring-fishing, boats, a fact which ap-
prised us of the short distance from the Coast of Holland.
While we had made considerable headway during this
day, it proved to be the only one during which we could
boast of fair wind as long as we remained in the North-
Sea; for we awakened the next morning to observe a
fresh western wind with cloudy sky. We approached
the channel by short tacks, with many ships in sight. On
Saturday, the 14th, we had beautiful weather but hardly
any wind; about nine o'clock we sighted twenty-two ships
which were surrounding us in the sun-kissed waters of
the North-Sea. About noon we were accosted by a Dutch
fishing-boat. The wind changed during the afternoon to
S. W., remaining the same till the following Sunday,
when— about four o'clock in the afternoon— we sighted
the English coast for the first time; the land sighted be-
ing the high sand-hills of Ramsgate. The sea ran high,
and the contrast between the grayish vellow color near
THE OCEAN VOYAGE 85
the shore and the transparent blue-green of the high sea
was very striking. We noticed the air thickening near
by, but before it began to rain we could distinguish a
large number of English fishing-boats at anchor. Being
compelled to turn aside, we lost sight of land within half
an hour. The breeze grew stronger every minute and
one sail after the other was taken in; when darkness over-
took us we had only the doubly-fitted Mars and storm-
bridge-sails up. Of course nobody slept during that
night. The groaning and lamenting of the steerage pas-
sengers and various other noises from the different parts
of the shit), together with the creaking of the vessel, com-
bined to produce a turmoil, compared with which the de-
struction of Sodom and Gomorrah was evidently a mild
affair. This confusion and noise continued during the
whole night.
The long looked-for morning dawned at last and, as the
rain was not as heavy as before, we— that is, the few who
remained well— went on deck to breathe the fresh air.
Though 1 have since lived through many a storm, among
which this one was in reality not to be counted, yet there
has not been one that caused as much sickening and un-
bearable commotion in the steerage as was experienced
during that night; it baffled one's powers of description.
The wind changed suddenly to Northwest about seven
o'clock in the morning, which had the effect of moder-
ating the weather and clearing the sky. Then came a
busy time of setting sails, when we made great speed un-
der good wind. We saw again many vessels and at one
o'clock there came an English fishing-sloop alongside to
sell fish. Soon after the color of the water changed into
a dirty, greyish green, giving evidence that we were ap-
proaching land, which we sighted at 5:30 o'clock. There
were in sight the low English Dunes of Gallopers at about
three miles' distance. We kept sailing alongside of them
until eight o'clock when they vanished from sight, we
having taken a more southern course When night came
the West wind blew anew, so that the Mars-sail* had to be
*Or top-sail,
86 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
lowered again. The next morning found the weather
very disagreeable and rough, and the air thick. It was
the 17th of June; we steered toward the channel and had
the satisfaction of seeing the high coast of Calais about
one o'clock, though at a distance of many miles. The
wind commenced to lessen and changed more toward
the North. At half-past two we sighted the coast of Eng-
land near Dover, when we realized to our great relief that
we had entered the Pas de Calais, leaving behind us the
North-Sea with all its storms and dangers.
"While, my beloved ones, I have taken you clear to the
English channel, you have not heard anything of my
mode of life, how I am lodged, what I do, or eat or drink.
I therefore hasten to give an account of all that which
in reality does not undergo much change during the
whole voyage. During our trip through the North-Sea
and channel, we were not well settled on account of the
sea-sickness which had to be considered.
The steerage of the Victoria is a room about seven feet
high, forty feet long and taking in the whole width of
the ship. Light and air are admitted through the two
entrances, the large middle-hatch, near the main-mast
and the steerage-way near the cabin. The bunks of the
passengers are to the right and left, arranged four in a
cell, two by two, one above another. As we were only
fifty-seven passengers, having twenty cabins at our dis-
posal, we managed to make things as comfortable as pos-
sible by placing two or three in a cabin. The walks
were narrow as the boxes and other effects had been
piled up in the middle of the steerage alongside of the
cabins; we utilized them, however, as tables, benches and
chairs. The illumination at night was produced by two
lanterns which sufficed to make correct estimate of the
dimness and the thickness of the air, which might at times
have been cut with knives. My laundry-articles and other
necessities for the trip were in a small bag and a still
smaller box of about 1% cubic feet. One learns to be
satisfied with little on trips like my present one. Thus
much of our common lodging place: our mode of life is,
of course, similarly monotonous.
THE OCEAN VOYAGE 87
AVe generally arise before six o'clock, make toilet,
which consists of washing and combing, as there is little
dressing done. The necessary adroitness required in
washing is soon learned, as one profits by the mistakes
of others, who had towels and tin-pans blown overboard
or who suffered other tricks played on them by the wind.
I soon learned that short hair is a gre il blessing as it
facilitates combing and prevents the wind from playing
havoc on one's head. The wardrobe is unusually simple,
consisting in my case, as in that of most of the others,
of a woollen shirt, linen trousers, and slices without stock-
ings; a cap completed the outfit ordinarily. A coat is
only worn on cold days and I wore my stockings only at
the beginning of the vovage and later on woollen ones
near Cape Horn. About half-past six each one of us re-
ceived two quarts of coffee in his mug, which was given
us at the kitchen. The time till noon w T as spent in any
way the individual passenger would choose, for better
or worse. At twelve o'clock, dinner was served. Every
two bunks were entitled to one mess, which, one of the
two occupants had to fetch in large wooden bowl from
the cook. Though our bill of fare was exceedingly plain,
as is natural, it consisted of nutritious and very digesti-
ble food, the preparation of which was not to be com-
plained of, although one must bear in mind that we were
only steerage passengers. We had: Mondays, white peas
and pork; Tuesdays, rice-soup and beef; Wednesdays,
sauer-kraut and pork; Thursdays, rice-soup and beef;
Fridays, lentils with pork; Saturdays, peeled barley
with prunes and herring; Sunday, pudding with prune-
sauce and beef. Outside of that we were treated to pota-
toes every day until July. Sauer-kraut and lentils were
in time replaced by peas. By meat, of course, salted meat
is meant. We likewise received every week: Five
pounds of wheat-crackers, which satisfied the appetite of
the most greedy. Rye-crackers were considered a deli-
cacy, as only a small quantity had found its way on board.
Again- one-half pound of butter; a quarter of a pound of
yellow farina-sugar (so-called), mustard, salt and vine-
88 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
gar for every passenger. Each one, of course, had to
clean his tinware, etc., and was then at liberty to do as he
chose until tea-time, which was about half-past six or
earlier, according to the approach of darkness; it was
distributed like the coffee, and everybody was af liberty
to add sugar or brandy to suit himself. I preferred to
drink both tea and coffee without any addition.. Bed-
time was not set.
This -way of living appears very monotonous, as every
day is the precise renewal of the preceding one; and con-
sequently most passengers were more annoyed by ennui
than they had previously been by seasickness. As to
myself I have not given up my old belief that a man is
to a great extent the arbiter or maker of his own experi-
ences—the cause of the effects. I never suffered for want
of something to do or think about, and I have stood as
much and perhaps more chance of becoming lonesome
than any one else on board. Of course I looked around
for some agreeable work to kill time with, and thus I
took to painting, of which there is always plenty to be
done on board a vessel. If it really happened that I could
not find anything to do, I enjoyed a rest as well, particu-
larly in the evening about tea-time. Sitting on the rear
end, my feet dangling over the rail, I watched the ever-
changing course of waves and clouds for hours, and en-
joying my cigar. Wondrously beautiful were the pic-
tures of nature at sun-set, when waves and clouds ap-
peared in magnificent colors, especially in the tropics of
the Atlantic; later in the evening, when the play of col-
ors ceased, the soft light of the moon played strange
tricks, outlining all kinds of fantastic forms and shapes,
and enveloping them with a silvery halo.
Thus were the clouds distributed on the horizon of the
dark blue Heavens, bestrewn with millions of shining
lights, large and small, and separated from the rising and
falling waves of the ocean, the ever-swinging surface of
which reproduces in magnificence the thousands of little
white stars, throwing them, as it seems, about and reflect-
ing the glittering rays of the moon, which is resting on
THE OCEAN VOYAGE 89
the summit of yonder cloud. But I do not want to enter
the realm of dreams, and therefore will return to the
diary of my voyage.
We had arrived in the channel on June the 17th about
two o'clock in the afternoon. The wind blew from the
North and we turned our course toward the West. We
soon came so close to Calais that it was not only possible
for us to distinguish the steeples and houses of this quaint
little town, but even the masts of the ships in the harbor,
notwithstanding the unfavorable weather, which only
permitted us to recognize that part of the English coast
which stretches from North Foreland to Dover Castle. The
wind did not permit us to approach it any closer than two
miles, so that one could see no more than the gigantic
outline of its rocky walls. At sun-set the wind calmed
down completely and the evening was so beautiful that
even the victims of seasickness crawled out of their cells
to enjoy the splendid view. From starboard one could
observe the English coast, whose bluish rocks were a fit
part in the unusual scenery of the evening, while the set-
ting sun shed its golden rays over the terraces of the
chalk rocks of Cape Grisnez. About us was the channel,
smooth and silent as the mirror of a lake upon which
the soft gliding of the vessel could hardly be heard. The
night covered the scene by and by with her star-spangled
heavens, and when we at last turned toward our berths
we had reached Dungeness, the red lights of which were
plainly visible to our view. From the Northeast shone
the bright fires of Dover, which towers upon the high
coast; behind us, toward the East, we saw the brilliant
fires of Grisnez and further South sparkled the blaze of
Boulogne. The greater part of the following day we had
contrary Western winds which compelled us to make
short cruises. The cold and foggy air did not make our
trip through the channel much more agreeable than that
of the Elbe and North Sea, though we had occasion to
see some very interesting sights.
Early the next morning, Wednesday, the 18th, on which
the beauty of the night before had still left its imprint,
90 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
we found ourselves surrounded by a great many vessels,
increasing in number as the forenoon passed, so that I
counted toward noon about sixty-four of them with full
sails, which offered a magnificent spectacle, the splendor
of which was heightened by the noonday sun. Until sev-
en o'clock we were unable to see anything but the im-
mense chalk-rocks of Beachy-head, which we observed
from the star-board. The breeze increased during the
day to such an extent that top-sails had to be fastened
about four o'clock in the afternoon, when we just found
ourselves opposite the pretty city of Brighton, half a mile
away. We were able to distinguish not only the houses,
trees, etc., of this charming little town, but could even
watch the outgoing train, speeding along the green,
mountainous coast, bound for London. By means of tel-
escopes we distinguished several pedestrians, especially
on the Grande terrace, which I recognized at once, as well
as the royal pavilion, built in Chinese style, which are
so well pictured in Myer's Universal Lexicon (Cyclo-
pedia). The coast of Cowes was reached and passed dur-
ing the night. Our cruise on Thursday was hindered by
stormy West-wind and such a rain-storm that we could
hardly see a ship's length ahead. The fog cleared about
one o'clock and then, the Isle of Wight, with its high
rocks, came to view. While the raging waves were break-
ing on stony shore, a passing sun-ray dimly lightened its
crumbling walls. Within a minute's time the fog thick-
ened again and deprived us of the sight which had caused
a surprise, as we had found ourselves within a thousand
yards of the breakers. Good care was taken to> steer at
once toward the French coast. Four smaller vessels,
which were between us and the breakers, did likewise,
and it is to be hoped that they, too, escaped the danger,
though the immediate thickening of the fog prevented us
from watching them. On Friday, the 20th, we remained
almost without wind and not until evening could we sight
any land, when the island of Portsmouth with its pic-
turesque chalk rocks appeared at a distance of about four
miles and later in the night I caught a glimpse of the
THE OCEAN VOYAGE 91
French coast near Cherbourg in the southern horizon.
The English coast came plainly to view on Saturday
forenoon, when we enjoyed clear weather which, how-
ever, did not enable us to see much more of it than we
had seen of the French coast, as our last glimpse of Eng-
land or Europe was taken about three o'clock in the after-
noon, when we reached within a mile the cliff of Eddy-
stone. The fresh sea-breeze and customary fog did not
permit us to tarry and we soon lost sight of the island,
which consists of two black cliffs, separated by a small
canal, the larger one of which projects about twenty feet
and is made noticeable by its celebrated lighthouse.
Landsend, as it is called, was reached about eight
o'clock Sunday morning under stormy N. N. W. wind,
with no land in sight. Thus commenced a new turn in
my voyage, not wholly agreeable. When we entered the
Atlantic Ocean or rather the Bay of Biscaya, the weather
was so cold that I felt compelled to wear my heavy sack
coat whenever I intended to stay on deck.
As long as we remained in the Spanish sea, passing-
Cape' Finisterre (Spain) on Thursday, the 26th, wind
and weather were rather favorable, though the fori no-
blew but lightly, while the latter continued cold. From
the day we had left the Channel I noticed a remarkable
change in the color of the water. While the North sea
and Channel differ little from the Baltic, being all dark
blue green in color, the two former are considerably clear-
er than our native sea, which is the case of the Atlantic
waters. I cannot find a suitable expression to describe
the clear, transparent, carmine blue of the Atlantic ocean.
The color remains everywhere the same, as I have been
unable to see any difference, neither in the tropics nor
in the southern hemisphere is it more beautiful than at
the entrance into the Bay of Biscaya. It almost seemed
as if the transparency of the water was more noticeable
when we approached the Equator and lessened as we went
more southward bnt in that I may have been mistaken;
at all events the difference would be very slight. To give
you a correct idea I will say that we could distinguish
92 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
the nails and dents in the copper sheathings of our keel,
which was fully fifteen feet under water, and as plainly
as if the Victoria were in dock, and we were looking
through blue colored glass. Moreover, we could tell the
color and size of the fishes and describe their shapes
though they went far below the keel. The color of the
water at the turning jDoint from the Channel into the At-
lantic was, strangely enough of a beautiful grass green.
Another phenomenon which one has opportunity to
observe in the Biscayan Bay, is the well-known much de-
scribed and talked of ocean phosphorescence. It was
Tuesday, the 24th of June. The wind had been mild all
day and the sun did its work ; about eight in the evening
a light southeast wind arose which grew stronger with
the coming darkness, so that the ship soon went flying
through the quiet ocean, which reflected the innumerable
stars of the firmament upon its dark, billowy surface.
Wherever the bow of the vessel caused a broad foamy
wave, it would resemble a bluish white moon ray repro-
duction in the dusty cascade, created by a turning mill
wheel. From the long and narrow strips of dark colored
water, which were visible between the flakes of foam, as
they passed the sides of the ship, there sprang forth in-
numerable dark red sparks, like burning coal, in shapes
of stars, rings and fire balls, forming a beautiful contrast
to the foamy cascade already described.
I scarcely believe that you will be able to get a correct
conception of the remarkable phenomenon from my de-
scription, as one cannot possibly relate it intelligently to
those who have never seen it. Whenever I witnessed
such a spectacle it invariably impressed me deeply and
when I saw it the first time I remained on deck till after
midnight.
On the following Sunday, in a heavy thunderstorm,
accompanied by lightning, we saw the ocean covered with
fiery sparks and a procession of mackerel, splashing along
our boat side, which made the spectacle really worth see-
ing. Each one of these fishes glittered golden red and
drew, as it were, a long sparkling trail behind him, which
THE OCEAN VOYAGE 93
enabled us to watch the fiery procession long after they
had passed our ship. Another beautiful sight was caused
by the wake of our ship which resembled the passing
smoke of a bright fire and could be observed at a distance
of fully a hundred and fifty yards. However, it is an
erroneous supposition that the ocean produces such lights
on every dark night. Even in the tropics these phenom-
ena are rare occurrences. A week would pass at times
during which we hardly noticed a spark, and only then
when a procession of fish or a passing vessel would cause
a sudden break in the water. The most magnificent dis-
play of this phenomenon I ever witnessed occurred on
the 15th of duly, under the eighth degree of northern
latitude, a description of which I shall give you later
on— south of the La Plata, one can only see a few sparks
now and then and only on unusually dark nights; below
( ape Horn nothing at all. I am told, on the other hand,
that during severe stormy winters there are phosphores-
cent displays in this latitude which outrank in splendor
anything ever witnessed in other parts. I have had no
opportunity of verifying this, however.
As previously mentioned, we left the Bay of Biscaya
on Thursday, June 26th. ( >n Saturday we communicated
with an Austrian bark, "Nero," which was north-bound
and sailing under 14 36m. of Greenwich W. longitude,
and 41° 20m. X. lat.; it was taking freight from Odessa
to Antwerp. The same evening we observed a little bird,
homeward bound. The wind continued to be light and
contrary, often entirely absent. We again had a chance
to speak an English vessel, the brig "Eupheinia," which
earned freight from London to the Cape of Good Hope
and had been on her trip from Doverress about a fort-
night, now, like ourselves, taking a southern course. We
sighted the first dolphins on Tuesday, when twenty of
them were playing around our ship and the next morn-
ing, Wednesday, the 2d, we were surprised beyond de-
scription to be caught by a X. E. monsoon or trade wind
which rarely goes beyond Madeira, while we had only
reached the latitude of Gibraltar. As we now went along
94 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
with extraordinary speed, making as many as eleven
knots an hour, it was not astonishing- that we caught
sight of Madeira about three o'clock the following after-
noon. We passed within a distance of four (German)
miles and even then it was hardly possible for us to dis-
tinguish anything but a bare outline of the island, which
appeared east of us; the northern part of the island lost
itself in the blue fog of the evening, which covered the
horizon as usual and which enveloped everything, thus
depriving us of a good view. The sun fortunately broke
through for a few minutes, as late as seven o 'clock in the
evening, when we caught sight of the high, rocky coast,
which appeared as steep as a wall in the reddish light
of the setting sun. Madeira is built upon this wall and
rises about 2,500 feet in conic sections. It was a beauti-
ful sight, when the top of this island mountain glittered
above the clouds in the slowly disappearing coloring of
the evening, while the lower clouds seemed to separate
the peak from its body. The approaching darkness made
it impossible to see anything more until about eight
o'clock, when the moon had gained strength enough to
draw fantastic sketches of Madeira upon the dark clouds
of the night. The monsoon filled our sails and having
the larboard sails up on either side, we went along at
rapid speed. The sea went high, but the whitecaps which
it threw up did not cause phosphorescent light, though
they surrounded the ship like a mighty girdle; only now
and then appeared a single spark.
When I awoke the next morning, Friday, July 4th, I
went on deck, but Madeira had already disappeared from
our horizon and the ship went with full sails into the im-
mense desert of water, which had often been the theme
of my childhood dreams and the subject for fruitful med-
itations of later years. For sixty-two days I saw around
me nothing but sky and water, clouds and waves; no rest-
ing place for the searching eye but, maybe, a lonely sail
at great distance; the tired wings of a rare bird or the
dumb inhabitants of that unreliable but beautiful, that
terrible and yet so charming, that restless, haunted and
THE OCEAN VOYAGE 95
yet to me so infinitely attractive element which we were
now speeding through.
It was not until the 4th of September that we caught
sight of land; the desolate wilderness of the snowy moun-
tains of the Fireland (terra dol fuego). Saturday, the
5th of July, I saw flying fish for the iirst time; it appears
to be the most common among the inhabitants of the trop-
ical waters, for hardly a day passed in which we did
not see one or more processions of them. They are gen-
erally seen in very large numbers, often as many as a
hundred or more, rarely alone. The flying fish resem-
bles the trout to some extent but reaches hardly three
or four inches in length. By means of breast fins, which
are unusually well developed and reaching from head to
tail, it raises itself above the water and appears in purest
silvery light. The rapidity of its motion ma}' be com-
pared to that of our ocean swallows. It jumps about ten
feet above the water and then manages to sail a dis-
tance of ten to fifteen yards through the air; I have even
watched some of them that covered fully two or three
times the distance. Another fish which is very often
met with in the tropics is the tumbler or porpoise. It
measures about three or four feet in length and nearly
one foot in diameter, brown on top and white at the belly;
it generally keeps close to the surface and travels in
company of four or five; now and then it jumps a few
Peel above the water and is rather lively for its size.
Among those that resemble the tumbler is the jumper or
hog fish. "When we saw these animals for the first time,
on July 22d, they approached us in immense numbers
—by thousands — and the sight of their bodies and mo-
tions were so comical that every mother's son of us had
to laugh until he was completely exhausted. The shape,
as the name of the animal indicates, resembles that of a
clumsy pig; on its back is a large, strong fin about six
inches long and bent backward. The motion consists of
a big jump forward by which it raises itself several
above the water in a half circle, returning bead first into
its former element. Like the tumbler, the hog fish very
96 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
often weighs close to five hundred pounds, though only
three or four feet in length.
Another fish, which is not quite as common, however,
is the bonito, about one and a half to two feet long and
closely resembling our pike. I never remember having
seen him deeper than ten to fifteen feet from the surface,
where it appeared in beautiful golden and emerald col-
ors, but I dare not say that such is in reality its make-up,
as one is often deceived by the bluish transparency of
the water in tropical climates, which gives a lustre to
the color of the fishes which they lose as soon as they
are taken out of their element.
These are the four kinds which one meets most fre-
quently, as other species are rarely seen and never in
great numbers. For instance, it happened on the 14th of
July, toward evening, that we observed two ores (a small
sort of whale) which passed close by our ship and we
were able to see their protruding backs, which easily
measured twelve feet in length and two or three feet vis-
ible width. But you will ask in astonishment: "Where
is the much dreaded shark?" Strangely enough, I have
seen but one during my whole voyage. This said shark
was seen by us all on Wednesday, July the 9th, in the
afternoon and there is no need of telling you that our
whole ship became alarmed, while it did not bother itself
at all about us, following its course in crossing our keel.
Whales were more numerous, especially in more southern
regions, where the jumping fish and other species afore-
mentioned came no more in sight. All counted, I may
have seen twenty of them, mostly at a distance.
Thus much about the fishes and now back to my trip.
For ten successive days we had the North East Mon-
soon filling our sails, and experienced but one short inter-
ruption on the fourth of July, when a fresh East wind
set in; the remaining time till the eleventh of July there
was absolutely no change, not even in the wind's force.
Our lar sails were up day and night, which increased our
rapidity considerably.
The weather remained cool and agreeable and every-
THE OCEAN VOYAGE 97
thing possible was done to make our voyage as pleasant
as could be expected, and this period in particular will
always be pleasantly remembered. The only privation
was caused by the bad drinking water, in regard to which
I find the first notice in my diary of July 4th. I wrote
it in the spirit of real depression and in the meantime
in the consciousness of such weakness as one experiences
when the pangs of real thirst are torturing body and
mind.
I formerly often thought myself thirsty, but it is my
present conviction that I never knew what real thirst
meant until I experienced it on this voyage, in the days
when I hesitated to the last moment before I dared to
take a few swallows of the black, yellowish, disgustingly
warm water, which emitted an odor that was equal only to
its putridity, and yet it was not that which made me
hesitate, no indeed! The real thirst does not know of
such foolish notions; it was only because my ration would
thus grow smaller! Fortunately, this privation lasted
only a fortnight or so, when we enjoyed better water,
though our Fregel (river) at home would have been a
dispenser of delicacy in comparison with the quality of
the ship's supply. During that period I had ample
opportunity to meditate upon the rare enjoyment which
is derived from a glass of clear, cold, fresh well-water
and I would have derived great pleasure in treating to
my daily refreshments some of those fools who will pour
a glass of delicious well water upon the sand on account
of a little dust or perhaps only a gnat which has fallen
into it. Our drinking water contained other things than
dust or dead gnats.
We passed the northern tropic circle on July the 7th,
about half past four in the afternoon. The temperature
was cool and agreeable, while the air was "flabby," to
use a sailor's expression, which means dull, without
being foggy or cloudy, ? peculiarity of the latitudes of
the northern as well as sor+hern tropic circles, where,
with the exception of the noon hour, one cannot count
upon clearnes : and brightness of the air.
7
98 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
On the following day we had the sun almost vertically
over our heads, the angle from our vessel to the Northern
horizon measuring 89 degrees. The day before the sun
stood on the Southern heavens at an angle measuring 8 7 Ms
degrees. The ship would only throw shadow when it
bent to one side or the other and my own shadow could
be measured by putting my feet slightly apart, thereby
having even the tips of my shoes and the calves out of
the shade. The air was slightly clouded, but not at all
oppressive. When evening arrived we enjoyed the prox-
imity of another vessel; it was moonlight and about nine
o 'clock when we noticed a large bark coming from nortn-
east, while our course was S. W. V2 S. Though within
a short distance neither a lantern nor any other signal
appeared, consequently we continued our course without
noticing the strange vessel any further, which followed
for a while in our wake. When morning came we had
lost sight of it entirely.
Until the eleventh of July nothing noteworthy oc-
curred. On this day, at one o 'clock, a magnificent, pow-
erful osprey had taken a temporary rest on our wedge
yard, when Capt. Meyer took a shot at him. The beau-
tiful animal measured about six feet from tip to tip.
This deed of useless cruelty was immediately avenged,
for, scarcely did the dying bird lay in his last agony,
when the favorable wind suddenly changed to a deadly
calm, the first one we had really experienced during our
whole voyage. We therefore were glad when, about four
o'clock, a mild Southeastern breeze set in, followed by a
slight rain; the sea rose considerably as a last farewell
of the departed Northeast Monsoon.
The evening of this day offered one of the rare spec-
tacles which is seen only in the tropics, and though I am
well convinced that not even the most enthusiastic de-
scription could give a clear conception of the gorgeous
magnificence to one who has never been an eye witness
of it, I will nevertheless try to describe the phenomenon
in the best manner of which I am capable.
We had sunset about six o'clock and it seemed as if
THE OCEAN VOYAGE 99
the parting rays intended to make the best of the few
minutes' time assigned to them. The clouds of the heav-
ens were their objects and the wide horizon their play
yard, which soon appeared in the most exquisite color-
ings, from the deepest violet to the lightest carnation,
and shining golden yellow; the wonderful shapes of colors
and clouds were such that it really did not require an
enthusiast to recognize the most charming mountain
scenes, forests, valleys, snow-caps, ruins of the middle
ages, whole cities and villages in those fantastic shapes.
Every second brought new changes, not only in the forms,
but in colors ; when one would fade another would appear
in its brightest hue, and so en.
The surface of the ocean appeared like a mirror with
the exception of the slow waves which measured about
a hundred feet in width, and the reproduction of the
burning colors of the horizon upon the quiet waters was
almost as marvelous as the scene above. Turning to the
east, one would be struck by a different but not less beau-
tiful spectacle. The full moon had arisen and shone
through the foggy evening atmosphere, its full light was
cast upon dark grey figures, no less strange than those
of the western part of the horizon and throwing upon the
water the floating silvery bridge which I had often
watched with longing, dreaming glance while sitting on
the banks of our little lake or river at home. Thus we
were placed between two beautiful heavens, representing
evening and night, purer and more marvelously beautiful
than I had ever seen them before.
The light Southeast wind blew hardly enough to fill the
upper sails, while the lower ones struck constantly
against masts and spars, creating the only noise in the
prevailing sultry silence.
Everybody was on deck, lounging quietly during the
oppressive heat. The man at the wheel had just rung
his seven bells when my curiosity was aroused by a
strange, raven black cloud of unusual shape, which ap-
peared upon the Southwestern horizon. At first it ap-
proached slowly, then quicker and quicker, taking larger
100 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
proportions and reflecting* its gloom upon the quiet At-
lantic, for the lustre of the heaven had vanished quite
a while before. Soon I noticed in the cloud a white-yel-
lowish spot, which grew likewise to uncomfortable dimen-
sions until it was over our heads. I watched the phenom-
enon breathlessly and, as I had often before heard of it
as indicating a windstorm, I notified the pilot, who had
just come out of his cabin. He gave a quick glance at the
cloud, and then came the command to fasten the jib,
wedge and topsails and so on. No sooner were the prep-
arations completed than it grew quite dark, a few heavy
raindrops commenced to fall, whilst everything was still
as death. I nervously awaited the things to come. Soon
I heard a peculiar roar in the air and our ship was
shortly after tossed over on one side with, such terrific
force of the gale that those who had not taken the precau-
tion of steadying themselves in some manner would surely
have fallen to the floor. The sails commenced to fill and
the Victoria gained slowly but surely, cutting a mighty
wave in two with its broad bow, thereby pushing
aside the unruly waters. Then came the flight!
What speed! We went along like lightning, but in the
meantime there was a rush for shelter, as the rain came
down in such torrents that it resembled the outpouring of
one ocean into another. All this lasted about half an
hour, after which rain and wind slowly subsided, and we
fell as soundly asleep as if we had been ashore.
From the following day until Wednesday, the 16th,
there was complete calm. How all this affects the mind
can only be appreciated by one who has lived through
similar experiences. We were sailing at this time be-
tween the tenth and eleventh degree of Northern latitude.
The intense heat of the sun burns one's brain, the per-
spiration opens all pores and, notwithstanding the great
exhaustion, one can hardly find a moment's sleep on ac-
count of the depressing heat. In addition to that, we
had to endure a burning thirst, which our daily allowance
of a pint of stale, warrn water was unable to quench. A
good rain fortunately changed the atmosphere and we
THE OCEAX VOYAGE 101
■were able to refresh ourselves, if only for a short while.
Our eyes also were henceforth treated to daily changes,
as we could now observe many passing vessels.
To him who has never made a sea voyage it seems to
be almost impossible for ships to change position in time
of complete calm. But so it is and it does not take much
mental effort to account for it. One can plainly see ves-
sels on a bright day at a distance of about six German
miles and even further away if they lie within the observ-
er's clear horizon, turning the shady side of their sails
toward him or, the contrary, if they show the sunny side
of their sails on a darker horizon. However, a given
vessel will remain invisible to the eye of a keen observer
if even on a bright day and at half the distance men-
tioned nothing be offered but the narrow edge of its
sails. Now as at the time of a complete calm the vessels
keep revolving very slowly but constantly, which, in sea-
inan's parlance, is often called a "falling off," it will
become plain that one can speak truly of seeing and
losing sight of a vessel at comparatively short intervals,
according to their position relatively to the sun's rays.
Aside from all this it will sometimes really happen that
ships which have not been within one's horizon will ap-
pear and disappear. Even a "dead calm" on the Atlan-
tic must not be thought of as indicating that one cannot
notice the least little breeze; such an occurrence is Aery
rare, however, and of short duration. One generally
notices a slight breath of wind, now from one, then from
another direction, lasting sometimes a quarter of an hour,
at other times longer, even for hours, before it dies away.
These little currents are, of course, utilized as much as
possible, though the actual progress may be exceedingly
slow T , as was for instance the case from noon of the 13th
to the evening of the 14th, during which time our ship
gained only five miles, it nevertheless shows that the
distance between the different vessels will vary from
time to time. The current of the waters cuts likewise a
great figure, which was particularly the case during the
calm just, mentioned, when the currenl was so strong that
102 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
it caused quite an unheaval, during which one could notice
a lively curling of the surface. It was likewise during
this calm that we experienced the greatest heat of the
voyage ; thus, for instance, on July 13th about two o'clock
in the afternoon we registered no less than twenty-nine
degrees Reaumur in the shade, though the air was
clouded. It was a rare pleasure when the temperature
fell below twenty degrees either morning or evening.
Though I have repeatedly tried to picture an evening
in the tropics, nothing can be compared to the imposing
majesty of Nature during a thunderstorm, of which I have
seen a number; and I shall never forget the wonderful
sight of the first one, which left such a deeply-rooted im-
pression upon me that nothing will ever erase it from my
memory as long as I breathe.
To the great joy of everybody the prevailing calm was
interrupted during the forenoon of July the fifteenth by
a light Eastern breeze, while the air was not oppressive.
We had all sails laid-to and our course was S. V2 W. The
wind grew less again toward eleven o'clock and complete
calm had returned by two in the afternoon. The air was
burning hot, as the glowing sun-rays were right above
our heads and not a cloud on the sky. The horizon was
hemmed in by a light violet-colored fog. We made the
best of the situation and passed the time by examining
the surrouuding ships, no less than thirteen in number,
the movements of which we observed through telescopes.
The vessels which were close enough to each other had
hoisted their flags and the captain of a Dutch bark was
seen to take a boat for the purpose of visiting a large full-
masted vessel which was only a very short distance away
and belonged to the same nation. The dark-blue Atlantic
was as smooth as a mirror and numberless flying fish were
jumping here and there out of its glassy surface, and you
will form an idea of the calm when I say that it was im-
possible for us to decide the nationality of one ship — a
black, heavy-laden bark, which was only a mile from us—
because there was not enough breeze to unfold its flag.
Until about five o'clock everything remained unchanged
THE OCEAN VOYAGE 103
but we soon after noticed small white feathery clouds
arising on the far end of the horizon; by six o'clock they
had grown into large, threatening ones, which covered the
heavens. It is astonishing how quickly they will gather
and disappear.
The sun had just set, giving the atmosphere a rather
disagreeable yellowish-red coloring, as if it were the re-
flection of an immense fire. Not a breath of air was notice-
able; a dull oppressive sultriness was spread over the dark
silent ocean, while the night grew darker every minute.
Soon we saw Hashes of lightning, followed by the heavy
rumbling of distant thunder, and these approached nearer
and nearer, and the thunder grew louder and louder. Half
an hour after sun-set every color-play of the clouds had
completely disappeared, though it was only half-past six,
and the darkness grew so dense that one could not see
three feet ahead. Then began the rain— and what a rain!
The most severe thunderstorm at home will hardly give
you a correct idea of that fearful storm; in a few seconds
everybody was wet to the skin and the splashing rain
could at times be heard above the deafening roar of the
thunder. The gale, which accompanied the rain, filled
our storm and topsails and sent us rapidly over the wild
water-mountains, which were covered with white, whiz-
zing foam. Such was the change which had been wrought
in a few minutes and the color of the sea had become as
black as the sky.
The thundering roar of the waves, that threatened ev-
ery moment to swamp our trembling vessel, while it was
sailing down a mighty wave with lightning speed to slow-
ly and laboriously ascend the next one, the torrents of
splashing rain, the whistling and blustering of the storm
in the squeaking and rattling rigging of the ship, together
with the continual rolling of the thunder, formed a con-
cert so terrible and imposing that I feel absolutely unable
to give you an adequate description of the powerful, last-
ing impression which it has made upon me.
The eye, too, was treated to sights of impressive mag-
nificence. The lightning, with the beautiful diversity of
104 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
its gay colors and the sparkling of the ocean, were never
more exquisitely gorgeous during my whole voyage than
I saw it on this memorable night. "We had not had a
chance of watching this phenomenon since we left the
Bay of Biscaya, where I had seen it the first time, but not
in the same splendor to which we were treated this night.
Every one of the millions of rain-drops which fell into
the endless ocean, glowed dark-red like a fiery coal; ev-
ery flake of foam in the white crown of the waves ap-
peared in purest silver-light, reflecting beautifully in the
black sides of our ship. The storm raged, the rain con-
tinued with undiminished force until midnight, when the
wind changed to South West so that we could steer S. S.
E. to South. By daybreak all sails were set again and
our progress was rapid though the sea was still somewhat
tempestuous. The rain continued all day uninterrupt-
edly and we were unable to discover any of the many ves-
sels which had surrounded us the night before. During
the days following the calm, we had mostly stormy South
wind, which drove us close to the coast of Sierra Leone,
thereby compelling us to approach the African coast con-
trary to our intention. Capt. Meyer told us that hardly
one out of a hundred vessels, bound for a destination simi-
lar to our own, would have to go so far East. However,
these South winds must have been raging for several days,
as we met a number of vessels every day which were
cruising southward like ourselves.
Thursday, the 17th, we passed a pretty, black brig, fly-
ing the British flag. Everybody took her to be our old
acquaintance from Madeira, the "Euphemia," although
we could not make sure of it, as she followed a different
course and did not come near enough for us to make her
out. Toward evening we caught sight of a bark which,
being hardly a quarter of a mile away, had put up the
lanterns without taking further notice of us. The Friday
following we sighted a beautiful three-masted English
vessel, which we, at first glance, took to be a frigate, be-
cause of its unusual size, appearance and the superiority
of its sails. Great was therefore my astonishment when,
THE OCEAN VOYAGE 105
toward evening, at closer range we recognized a whaler
with no less than fourteen row-boats on board. I never
saw a more handsome vessel in my life.
Saturday, the 19th, there was a Light Western breeze.
That afternoon at about four o'clock we came within
speaking distance of a brig from Apenrade, sailing from
Hamburg to Valparaiso like ourselves. We enjoyed the
company of this Danish vessel for several hours. Toward
evening still another Schleswig-Holsteiner came within
sight; it was the Flensburg three-masted "Helen Lou-
ise." We were unable to communicate with the latter
vessel on account of the approaching darkness. The
"Apenrader" had informed us that it had already spent
fifty-seven days at sea, i. e., since leaving Cnxhaven'
On Sunday, the 20th, we had quite a breeze and appar-
ently rain in the air; the "Helen Louise" was on the
Western, and the Apenrade brig became barely visible on
the Northwestern horizon, though it was yet early in the
morning. We sighted the latter once more on the follow-
ing day, when she crossed our stern with stormy South-
wind and thick cold air. Ou Tuesday, July the 22d, about
half-past nine in the forenoon, we caught sight of two
barks, which followed the same Southern direction; these
proved to be the last vessels which came within our hori-
zon for a long, long time.
From now on our voyage became exceedingly monot-
onous, as we did not see another vessel for fully fifty days;
when we first caught sight of one again, it was between
Fireland (terra del fuego) and New South Shetland.
Until we reached the Southern latitudes, where flocks of
wild sea-birds would pass over our heads, onr eyes were
not treated to the sight of any other living things except
fishes. Our voyage has been marked from the very he-
ginning by contrary and unfavorable winds. The North-
eastern Monsoon had left us much sooaor than we antici-
pated and we had very little of the Southeastern Mon-
soon if the somewhat lively South Southeast wind, that
came to us from the twenty-fourth to the thirty-first of
July, is to be considered as such.
106 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
We passed the "line" on Friday, the twenty-fifth of
July, at half-past ten in the evening (22 J 5i' W. L. Green-
wich). The day had been agreeably cool; after sun-set,
about six o'clock, the air became quite rough and a rain
set in. Notwithstanding the unfavorable weather, the
sailors were determined to have the customary Neptune-
farce. About nine o 'clock there appeared one of them, a
funny old fellow by the name of Rainer Splitgen, who
was lame of one leg. He wore a mask which converted
his face into a veritable caricature; a coarse woollen
blanket enveloped his body, while beard and hair of un-
conscionable length had been manufactured for the pur-
pose out of oakum. A gaily-colored crown of sail-cloth
rather disfigured than ornamented the head of the actor,
who went along the stern upon the water-stay. He then
addressed the ship in the proper manner through a speak-
ing-tube with the customary "Bark ahoy!" The Cap-
tain himself answered in the usual manner, after which
the supposed Neptune inquired as to the name of the ves-
sel, the port of embarkment and of destination, all of
which were duly answered by the Captain. He then de-
clared that he would come on board to investigate,
whether everything was in proper order, which he did.
He appeared, however, to be of a very ungracious dispo-
sition, finding fault with everything and everybody, scold-
ing here and there, whereby the man at the wheel re-
ceived particularly a full share of Neptune's ill-will. He,
of course, gave orders, in a voice which corresponded very
well to his exterior appearance. In order to pacify him
the Captain invited him at last to take a drink of whisky
with him in the cabin, an invitation which he could not
decline in such cold and wet weather. Soon after he re-
turned with a full bottle of the same beverage, which had
been given to him for his "family." With triumphant
air he returned whence he had come and disappeared over
the bow after assuring us that he would honor us once
more with his visit if we would enter his realms by the
following night.
The subsequent Saturday favored the farce of the
THE OCEAN VOYAGE 107
mariners more than the day before, as the weather was
more suitable for their purpose of merry- making. We
were making good time and enjoyed a cool breeze; flying
fish, bonitos and tumblers were visible everywhere, en-
joying the pleasant bright day like ourselves.
The continued tolling of the ship's bell announced the
re-appearance of Neptune about one o'clock in the after-
noon. This time, however, he arrived with his whole
court, consisting of his wife, who carried an immense rag-
doll in her arms, two body-guards wearing red coats and
otherwise provided with long wooden swords; three or
four personalities in strange fantastic make-up completed
the procession. All of them wore ridiculous masks. Im-
mediately after arrival Neptune and his pilot commenced
the measurements of the vessel, having been provided
with an immense octant, built for the purpose by the
skilful carpenter, and they then made quite a correct
sketch upon a map, which our ingenious sail-maker had
provided for them. This map was made of sail-cloth and
was, as regards neatness and dimensions, by no means
inferior to the carpenter's creation. The equator had
been marked by a heavy stroke of the tar-brush. After
this part of the program had been accomplished, Nep-
tune's secretary delivered a solemn address to the Cap-
tain, at the end of which he requested those of the crew
to approach, who now passed the equator for the first
time. Thus called, two sailor boys appeared who were
taken to the front and, after being thoroughly lathered,
they received a good shaving with a wooden razor, about
two feet in length. After the scraping, which had been
done with great ceremony, both boys were given a shower-
bath by pouring a bucket of water over the head of each.
The onlooking passengers could only escape the fate of
the boys by contributing to the drink-funds. The remain-
der of the day was a holiday by permission and all work,
which could possibly be delayed, was suspended. The
crew, as well as the passengers, enjoyed themselves dur-
ing the afternoon by all kinds of gymnastic exercises,
followed later on by the bowl. The latter example, set by
108 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
the sailors, was followed even by those who had not been
active in the gymnastics, I being one of them. We seated
ourselves comfortably in the deck-cabin and chatted
around the wine and cognac bowl. Notwithstanding the
rather mixed elements out of which this original ''hedge-
ale-house" assembly consisted, it was happy and har-
monious, though there would perhaps have been more
hilarity if it had not been for the sufferings of one of our
fellow-passengers, a certain Nabholz from Khenish Bava-
ria, who had been taken sick about a week before with
nervous prostration; this dampened the general merri-
ment and gave the whole proceeding a somewhat strained
aspect. No one realized at that time that we would be
witnesses of a depressing, almost terrible solemnity, with-
in two days thereafter.
Nabholz passed away about noon on Sunday, the 20th
of July. Most of the passengers had the comforting rec-
ollection of having done their utmost to relieve him. To
do more or even to give material aid was beyond their
power— beyond all human strength. Even the physician
who had accompanied us hither, could assist the patient
very little, as the supply of medicine was so scant that
one hardly could get the most common home-remedies,
notwithstanding the boasting announcements of the ship-
broker. Thus all depended upon the good constitution
of the patient, which in this case failed even to respond
to the earnest endeavors of the physician. Nabholz be-
longed to those unfortunates who are ignorant of the fact
that the hot zone is an open grave for Europeans who
have previously suffered from a certain class of diseases.
These ills will re-appear, though very often under differ-
ent form, and death is the unavoidable consequence in
ninety-nine out of every hundred cases.
Though we all felt quite depressed at the death of
Nabholz, we were comforted by the fact that his loss of
consciousness at the very beginning of his sickness re-
lieved him of that dreadful feeling of loneliness and help-
lessness which he would otherwise have felt. His burial
took place on the same day, about six o'clock in the
THE OCEAN VOYAGE 109
evening. It was a simple, plain, but very solemn affair,
which affected us deeply. The remains were enveloped
in a woollen blanket, laid upon his mattress and then, true
to old custom, sewed up in sail-cloth, after padding the
sides with pillows and covering the top with the clothing
of the dead man. "When this was accomplished the whole
was tied upon a thick board, to the foot-end of which
there were attached four pieces of anchor-chain, for the
purpose of giving it the required weight. When all prep-
arations had been made, the main-top-sails were lowered
in order to prevent speed, after which the flags were
hoisted half mast, as a sign of mourning. Everybody un-
covered his head to say a silent prayer— so it seemed,
at least— while the body was lifted upon the quarter-
deck-rail. It was a sad solemn moment, when the re-
mains were slowly lowered into the bottomless ocean,
whose blue billows continued to ripple quite a while after.
The whole ceremony had left a gloomy, depressing atmos-
phere, when Heaven itself opened its grey, threatening
clouds to send a fine, drizzling rain upon the watery
grave. The waves rose high, and as far as the keenest eye
could note, nothing was discovered which bore life but
our lone vessel, tossed about by the roaring waves, while
the mourning flags told the sad, sorrowful tale of the
day. AVe rested another quarter of an hour as a mark of
respect; we then went forward under full sail, parting the
foam-crowned waves at great speed and leaving behind
us the locality which serves poor Nabholz as a resting-
place. No sign by which it may be recognized, as no hu-
man foot will ever approach his watery grave. Nabholz
had not yet completed his twentieth year when he passed
away.
On July the 31st we had reached 31° 33' West Longitude
and 10° 42' South Latitude. The Brazilian coast between
Pernambuco and Sergipe del Rey was the nearest land,
and that was about eighty (German) miles away. A
wondrously beautiful sunrise— followed by splendid, clear
v i ather — made this one of the brightest days we had dur-
ing the whole of our voyage. The tropical sun shone in
110 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
the pure, blue heaven above where only here and there
a shining snow-white summer-cloud would make a marked
contrast ; and notwithstanding the fact that the rays had
full sway, the air was cool and pleasant, somewhat like
our warm spring-days at home. With all that, we made
unusually quick time through the deep, carmine-blue sea,
which I never saw as calm as on this day, not even in
close proximity of land. Schools of silvery flying fish
were playing around us and four nautilus came right
alongside our ship; the pretty rose-colored wings of the
largest one reaching about three inches above the water.
The sun-set following resembled the magnificent sunrise
and I saw, what thousands of people who cross the At-
lantic will never have a chance of viewing, and what only
occurred once during our whole trip, the rare spectacle
of the apparent dropping of the sun into water, and not,
as is generally the case, setting behind, or surrounded
by, fog or clouds. The air remained pure and mild after
the sun-set. The soft, beautiful shades of colors faded
on the darkening sky, and when night had closed down,
I noticed for the first time the brilliant star-pictures of
the Southern Hemisphere, developing their splendor on
the blue velvety background of the firmament. The stars
seemed to compete harmoniously with one another, in
which rivalry they succeeded so well that even the small-
est of them displayed a brightness which we do not wit-
ness on our coldest winter nights at home. The Milky
Way particularly attracted the attention of the observer's
gaze and the Dipper, the Twins and the beautiful picture
of the Southern Cross filled one with wonder. Except-
ing Venus— which, though barely within our horizon, dis-
plays a brilliancy which compares almost with that of
the moon itself— and Jupiter, the brightest star on the
Southern Hemisphere; none are more lustrous than those
of the Cross. I watched the celestial spectacle from my
usual place until very late in the night, unable to take
my eyes from the millions of sparkling jewels of the firma-
ment; it was particularly the sight of the little Cross
which kept my attention and which even the most care-
THE OCEAN VOYAGE 111
less observer could not have overlooked. Though small
enough to be hidden behind the four smallest stars of the
"Great Bear," it shone forth with matchless evenness and
splendor. The moon, too, though yet only a crescent at
the further edge of the northern horizon, threw out such
intense light that the different objects on board would
throw their shadow. To give you a correct estimate of
the transparent atmosphere in this latitude, I will men-
tion the fact that one could actually see the dark part of
the disk of the moon with the naked eye; even the differ-
ent spots were visible to a keen observer. My description
of the thirty-first has been very long-drawn; ought I to
apologize for it, my beloved ones?
This date brought forth to my memory many a cher-
ished recollection of the far away home; is it a wonder
that I made this day as well as a few others, a sort of
holiday of obligation, holding what may be justly termed
a Divine Service, in honor of the past? Man needs such
moments to gather strength from the recollections of the
past, to meet the requirements of a perhaps stormy fu-
ture. If one allows one's mind to dwell on similar sub-
jects of meditation but twice in three months, is there
reason for being placed in the category of dreamers and
illusionists? In imagination I dwelt with you on these
two days, from early morning till late at night, though
I made also a few visits to others. It is a sad privilege,
which the great distance from home, however, permits.
I can gather around me all those to whom T am drawn in
love, and enjoy their company at the same time. But
enough of this!
All that is beautiful comes to an end.
The 31st of July experienced the same fate and great
was our surprise when we awoke the next morning to
find a complete calm which had set in after a heavy rain.
"We had a little breeze from South Southeast once but it
soon changed to South and then slightly West so that,
toward nine o'clock in the evening, we could hardly make
any headway. The same unfavorable weather, which
greeted us on the first day of August, continued almost
112 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
throughout this, as well as part of the next month. It
was a hard trial for our patience, our good humor and, I
may add, our state of health. Fortunately, I did not suf-
fer, but managed to keep myself well, as I assured you at
the very beginning of my letter; of course I suffered from
tooth-ache once in a while, but that hardly counts for
much, or is worth mentioning.
After we had reached the South-Western ocean current,
which runs along the Brazilian coast from Cape Frio to
Cape St. Eoque, which took place on the third of August,
the unfavorable weather continued and could have been
compared to our disagreeable, damp, fall weather at
home. Even the inhabitants of the sea left us, though the
water remained clear and transparent; further South we
would meet a North-Caper or whaler once in a long while.
On the other hand, we now found ourselves daily in the
company of sea-birds, sometimes thousands of them. We
observed the first arrivals on the fourth of August, when
about half a dozen of Cape-Doves put in an appearance.
This is a species, which remained with us, following the
ship day after day, whether we were close to the shore
or not, until we reached Valparaiso. These pretty white
birds which accompanied us in large flocks resembled
our geese in size and shape but they had very strong,
crooked beaks and sharp black claws; their long wings
and head as well as tail were speckled with black. The
wind was unusually changeable and blew at times from
four directions in one day, now light, then again so strong
that even the top-sails seemed to be more than sufficient.
The breeze was mostly Southern or Western and if it
happened once in a while that a more favorable change
took place, we were not benefited enough by it to help
us very materially in our onward progress. On the con-
trary, it often happened that such a change brought with
it a roughness which was not agreeable.
Notwithstanding the fact that these Northern air-cur-
rents caused many disagreeable movements on board,
they were welcomed as dispensers of moments of recrea-
tion.
THE OCEAN VOYAGE 113
On Saturday, the 9th of August, we had quite a heavy
thunderstorm accompanied by lightning as early as half-
past seven in the morning; on the 10th, 11th and 12th
the winds blew at intervals from all directions, with great
force, particularly on the first-named day. That kind of
weather causes the sailors a great deal of work, as they
have to adjust the sails and rigging constantly, now
changing them from one side to the other, then repairing
this or that one, now setting and then again laying them
to. During the whole voyage we had not had as much
rolling and cruising as in these few days, although the
sea did not go so very high.
The first albatross reached our ship on Monday, the
eleventh of August, shortly after sun-set. At first we saw
but little of these web-footed birds, but the further we
went South, the more numerous they became. Flying, the
albatross resembles the stork, on account of its snowy
plumage and black tipped wings, though there is in re-
ality very little resemblance if one looks at it close by.
It is generally as large as a swan but has a short, thick
neck; its beak is extraordinarily strong, often more than
three inches long and crooked like that of a hawk.
Mamuris made their appearance next; they closely re-
semble the albatross witli the exception that their
plumage is quite dark-grey. AYe caught one which meas-
ured seven feet from tip to tip. The further we went
South the more numerous became the birds; and many
beautiful species surrounded our vessel. They are all ex-
ceedingly handsome, with an unusually fine and soft,
thick plumage. Being exceedingly greedy, one can catch
thorn without much trouble with a strong fish-hook baited
with bacon. YYe had generally several lines out, if the
weather was favorable; and it was by no means an un-
common occurrence to see a dozen or more of these pretty
birds run about our deck; the peculiar fact is, that these
birds can only raise themselves out of the water or man-
age to fly from high points. Whenever we got tired play-
ing with them we would wind gay ribbons around their
necks and retain tliem to freedom.
114 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
Valparaiso-Harbor,
October the 23d, 24th and 25th, 1851.
Having arrived here yesterday (the 22d), I hasten to
continue this letter; the pen burns in my hand, for I wish
that the message of good cheer, which I now write down,
could at this moment be in your hands, assuring you that
the hardest part of our voyage is now ended.
On August the 15th we caught sight of an immense
' ' Northcaper, " which came close to our ship early
in the morning, while we had a momentary calm
and bright, pleasant weather. This large fish emerged
now and then so that we were able to see its greenish-
black back, which measured about twenty feet in length.
The next day, August the 16th, at half-past six o'clock
in the evening, there was born a son to a former citizen of
Berlin, Elwanger by name, an event which was celebrated
on the following Monday by raising the flag on that beau-
tiful, bright day.
Following the light winds on Monday, August the 18th,
we were unexpectedly compelled to make the acquain-
tance of a storm, such as the Southern Atlantic produces.
It struck us during the night, and differed much from
previous ones which we had experienced. In our opinion
it was so severe that we coulc not imagine anything
worse. Now, every one of us has become wiser— as the
terrific tornadoes which we experienced dno, left us to
believe that the first one, South of the Equator, was, after
all, not of so awful a nature, though it was violent enough
to un-roof houses and up-root trees on the shore. This
storm came from Southwest and was accompanied by a
heavy rain; about noon following it had subsided suf-
ficiently to permit the setting of sails. On Tuesday, Au-
gust the 19th, we had to meet another loss in the death of
a passenger, Odin by name, a Saxon, who passed away
during the forenoon, having suffered long and intensely
from gout and scurvy. There was already the foot-print
of the "reaper" upon him when he came on board our
vessel, and it is hardly probable that his life would have
been prolonged even if he had remained on land. His
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THE OCEAN VOYAGE 115
remains were turned over to the Atlantic about seven
o'clock in the evening, the ceremonies being conducted in
the same manner as were those which marked the burial
of Nabholz.
It was during this hour that the first storm-birds or
"Mother Carey's Chickens," as they are generally called,
put in their appearance on board. It is evidently more
than a Bailor's superstition to connect the coming of these
animals with an approaching storm. The mariners take
it to be an infallible omen and not without some reason.
I made it a special point to observe this strange occur-
rence and can testify to the fact that whenever two or
three of these rare birds became visible we could reckon
upon a heavy storm, which would invariably follow with-
in a few hours. So it happened that we had a heavy
storm from W. N. W. during the night, which was par-
ticularly tempestuous at sun-rise. "We had fastened near-
ly all sails and the ship went with great difficulty until
the subsidence of the gale about noon-time, made it pos-
sible to have more sails set.
"Wednesday night, after a short interval, the weather
looked again so gloomy and threatening that the rather
timely precaution of changing or reducing sails proved to
be an exceedingly wise one, as we were witnesses of an-
other gale from S. S. W., which made the wind much
rougher than the previous one. It did not change until
Thursday, the 21st, after it had been raging without the
slightest interruption for fifteen long hours.
The night between Thursday and Friday passed com-
paratively quiet, though the air was cold and disagree-
able and the ship worked hard in the hollow of the waves.
About noon we noticed some short ends of old ship's-rope
driving close to our ship, followed later on by a row-boat,
which had evidently belonged to a larger vessel; it was
full of water and did not seem to have been in the position
very long, but had evidently broken adrift. The air was
gloomy and an ice-cold rain fell now and then. About
two o'clock another S. S. W. gale struck us, so that we
had to change sails again. W^e now followed W. to S.
116 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
until evening, when we again made a change to W. N. "W.
This gale reached its greatest fury on Saturday, the 23d,
and did not cease until Sunday noon, by which time it
had raged full forty hours. From now on we had an oc-
casional hailstorm, and between two and three in the
afternoon w« had the first, pretty thick snow-fall. The
few sails, which were set, had been well reefed.
This week— during which we had experienced unusual-
ly stormy weather— was but a preparatory foretaste of
the experiences which were to be ours when we passed
the Cape.
The period between Sunday, the 24th of August, and
the 3d of September can be covered in a very few words.
Encouraged by fresh Western and Southwestern breezes,
which were not very stormy in their nature, we made
pretty good speed and were sailing closer and closer along
the Patagonian coast, follovv T ed by flocks of Cape pigeons
and albatrosses. Owing to the fact that we kept close to
the coast, the current remained rather quiet and this pe-
riod of our voyage would undoubtedly have been one of
the most agreeable of the whole trip if the weather had
not been so rough and cold, notwithstanding the bright
sunshine. What was to have been a pleasant trip was
thus spoiled; and though we had not ice enough on board
to go skating, there were daily hail and snow-storms,
which compelled us to use shovels more than once. We
also had quite heavy fogs at times.
The day after the last storm there floated reeds and
sea-weed in large quantities all around us. On Tuesday,
the 26th, we took a new kind of visitors on board in the
shape of a hitherto unseen species of sea-birds. As the
air was unusually calm, we were able to catch quite a
number of them in the previously described manner and
had at one time no less than fifteen of them running round
the deck; we threw the whole flock overboard as soon as
evening came and how they seemed to enjoy the swim-
ming again. These animals were somewhat larger than
big geese and distinguished themselves by their blue
beaks and pale-red swimming webs; their plumage was
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THE OCEAN VOYAGE 117
beautifully silver-grey on the back, while head, neck and
breast were snow white; the long grey wings ended in
black tips. They were undoubtedly the most beautiful
swimming fowls we had thus far seen; though dreadfully
stupid and greedy, and therefore easy to catch. We only
came across this species once more during our voyage
and that was on the other side of Patagonia, in nearly the
same latitude.
Saturday, the 30th, we discovered what the sailors call
"fat geese," which, though yet at a great distance, dis-
closed to us the proximity of the Falkland Islands; and
the 3d of September we were surprised by seeing a tre-
mendous whale. Toward evening of the same day we
caught a little land-bird, which, tired from its long flight,
had fallen on our fore-deck. We all enjoyed the wonder-
fully clear moon-light and unusual quiet, and remained
on deck till late in the night.
Thursday, the fourth of September, was destined to
mark another epoch in our voyage.
Under a lively West-wind we were able to approach the
high coast-mountains of the Fireland (terra del fuego)
towards four o'clock in the morning. It forms a large
bay between the 66th and 67th degree West longitude.
When at last the sun arose it was half-past six. We were
within four German miles of land and, as the morning
was really beautiful, we greatly enjoyed the sight. The
ship now changed its course to the East, following the
coast-line. The sight was one of the most beautiful that
had ever been presented to my view, and it made upon me
a deeper impression than it perhaps would have done, had
this not been the first land we had seen in fully two
months, or since we left Madeira.
The coast of Fireland arises out of the ocean with un-
usual steepness, resembling a two to three-hundred foot
wall, at the base of which the mighty breakers were roar-
ing. Further upward its perpendicular aspect appears
to modify slightly, though losing little of its former ab-
ruptness. Slowly it seems to join the wild, rooky e<>ast-
mountams, the horn-like peaks of which often are prob-
118 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
ably more than fifteen-hundred feet in height. The zig-
zag of the many wide cracks, the caves and protruding-
rocks, all coated with eternal snow, presented a view most
picturesque, and never to he forgotten; and the magnifi-
cence of the scene which the early morning sun illumined
can only find its equal in the Alps. But, notwithstanding
the imposing sight, which I have described, the view is a
strangely desolate one, with the absolute absence of vege-
tation. Nothing was visible but wildly torn rocks of a
reddish brown color, which were inhabited by innumera-
ble water-fowl, whose screeching alone would be echoed
in the cold, cavernous mountains, where even the native
nomad dared to set his foot but rarely. •
The surface of the ocean had a dark gray-green color
and was comparatively quiet; a Western wind hastened
our speed considerably, which naturally brought us new
scenery from minute to minute.
"We reached Cape St. Vincent soon after ten o'clock
and passed it. We had approached shore slowly and were
able to distinguish the ever breaking billows at the foot
of the Cape.
Beginning with this point, we find the chain of coast
mountains recedes somewhat into a deep-cut picturesque
bay, which enables the eye to enjoy the panorama of the
endless snow-fields and ferns of the interior. This bay
ends in the east at the point where the noted Cape San
Diego appears as a gigantic corner stone of the Strait of
Le Maire. This cape protrudes considerably into the sea,
almost pointed like a needle and ends in a rock of about
three hundred feet high, which hangs most threatening-
ly over the breakers, that roar amidst fallen fragments,
which, reaching almost a quarter of a mile into the sea,
may easily be taken for a dam of gigantic construction.
We sailed around this dangerous place at about a mile
distant and entered the Strait Le Maire at eleven o'clock.
This strait divides Fireland and Staten Island.
We kept close to the coast of Fireland, or less than half
a mile from the shore. Though the northern coast had
offered already a beautiful view, it could not be compared
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THE OCEAN \< >YAGE 119
to the wild, torn character which presented itself step by
step in the strait of Le Maire. It was truly picturesque.
The most imposing spectacle in this region undoubtedly
caused by the many little inlets which form a crescent,
opening toward the ocean. This spot is called "Bay of
Good Success," and seemed to be half a mile wide and
deej), marked at its Eastern end by some large mountains
of Fireland; and on the South by the Cape of Good Suc-
cess. The whole looks like a black, jagged wall of rocks,
perpendicular, and often more than a thousand feet high,
frequently protruding toward the everlasting breakers
of the raging sea. This wall is crowned with immense
masses of snow which do not entirely melt away during
the summer months; and now, in the spring season of the
Southern Hemisphere, • we see immense stalactites of
frozen snow hanging everywhere and reaching at times
such proportions that they almost kiss the breaking bil-
lows. No human foot ever reached this region and not
the least vegetation could be discovered by the searching
eye. Nothing but a dark volcanic rock, covered by the
icy blanket of perpetual snow.
The Cape of Good Success itself formed the culminating
point, which is the Eastern outlet of the snow-capped
mountain-chain with its wild coast-scenery, which make
the interior of Fireland so unexplorable. It appears to
be about fifteen hundred feet high, a dark, wild and grue-
some sight to behold, on the few protruding points of
which even the snow seems to have failed to obtain a last-
ing hold; the sea is at this point unfathomable. It was
on this cape that a Danish bark with many emigrants
wrecked, in full view of two other vessels; this occurred
during last January. Capt. Meyer told me that the bail;
was tin-own but once against the mighty rocks, which
proved enough to convert its beams and planks into splin-
ters and the one hundred and thirty-six people, who were
on board, lost their lives right there. The captain showed
me the spot as we sailed past at a distance of about half
a mile.
\\c left the Strait Le Maire about two o'clock in the
120 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
afternoon and re-entered the wide ocean, soon losing sight
of Staten Island, whose inaccessible rocky peaks could
only be seen as an indistinct outline above the clouds,
while the lower part of the Island, though but four miles
away, had been completely obliterated from view by
heavy fog. The breeze was quite refreshing but not very
strong, and as the weather seemed to be pleasant and
quiet, we set full sails and went with South-Southwest
wind. Though the coast disappeared more and more from
our horizon, it remained picturesque, as before. It was
now that the numerous small islands and the rough cliffs,
which projected out of the water, forming all kinds of
strange figures, would impress one with a peculiar long-
ing. The back-ground of this grand panorama was, of
course, the mighty chain of snowy mountains.
As you may well imagine, I did not allow this rare and
favorable opportunity to pass by without making a few
sketches, of which I have six, taken from the most inter-
esting points of the coast. The magic beauty of the scen-
eries was so attractive that I continued my sketching
with fingers, stiffened by cold, for which the favorable
light and general quiet seemed to recompense me. The
opportunity is seldom offered and few will have ever
thought of making this use of it.
We continued on our quiet journey, somewhat protect-
ed by the projecting land, and assisted by more favorable
ocean currents, which had hitherto been rather against
us, especially in the Strait Le Maire, where the waves
reach at times a height of thirty feet, i. e., under ordinary
conditions, while it exceeds this greatly in times of
storms. During the afternoon the air became heavier
and by eight o'clock in the evening the sky was quite
cloudy, though the wind remained steady and the sea
quiet. We expected to reach the Cape within the next
six or eight hours. Nobody of our merry crowd, that
passed the evening hours laughing and joking, thought
that it would take us yet fully a fortnight to reach the
long looked-for Cape. Nor did we realize that we would
have to suffer more on every single one of these days than
we had during our whole three months' voyage.
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THE OCEAN VOYAGE 121
By mid-night il was said to have been possible to rec-
ognize the Barnavelt Island, which is some six miles
from Cape Horn, wheD suddenly a heavy storm broke out
of the West. About five o'clock iu the morning of Fri-
day, the fifth of September, the gale blew so dreadfully
that our jib was lifted out of its encasings and the top-
mast-sail tore loose soon after, on which occasion the
ship's carpenter, sail-maker and the Chilian apprentice,
Lastico, came within an ace of being" thrown overboard.
Not until about nine o'clock were we able to loosen the
sail of the foremast from its yard and to set it securely.
During all the time required for the most necessary re-
pairing we were floating at the mercy of the hourly-rising
sea.
This kind of weather continued all day long, so that it
was barely possible to steer South-Southwest. As night
approached the storm increased and became so violent
about midnight that it fell little short of a hurricane, the
waters constantly washing over our deck. The force of
the billows grew so powerful toward day-break that it
knocked the heavy iron ridges asunder, under which the
quarter-boat hung, which, in consequence, rolled upon
the deck between the deck-cabin and the mizzen-mast and
it took several hours before it was possible to secure it
properly again. At another time the storm struck us and
tore off the mouldings of the star-board, carrying them
away; then again, it went tearing between the fore and
main masts. The keen, cutting cold had frozen the rig-
ging and glazed the deck and the water-barrels were
heavily iced. AVas it a wonder that we made absolutely
no headway under the circumstances? For fully twenty-
four hours we were compelled to remain with main-top-
Bail, mizzen-sail and storm-jib tightly hove to, drifting
all the while. Such was our reception at the Cape.
Sunday, the seventh, about noon, we were glad that,
after the storm had raged for fully fifty-five hours, its
force was abated sufficiently to allow us to set the lower
sails again, though the wind remained unsteady between
Southwest and West. Instead of the sails, we had already
122 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
lost, our men substituted reserve-sails and, as the weather
brightened during the afternoon, we heaved out the top-
sail, set it and took the course North West to West. The
air was cold and large pieces of ice floated on our water-
barrels. The weather continued fair on Monday, the
eighth, and as it was tolerably bright, we were satisfied
though the wind had neither changed in violence nor di-
rection, remaining S. W. and W., as during the day be-
fore. We kept S. to S. W. and S. W., making the best of
our chances.
Suddenly there arose another powerful gale from the
South, about two o'clock in the afternoon, carrying with
it a cutting cold, and much snow and hail; notwithstand-
ing which we managed to keep our course West to South
until about midnight. From this hour on the storm
changed gradually to North-Northwest and assumed such
proportions that we were again compelled to take in all
sail except the smallest; again we drifted hopelessly while
our vessel was constantly under water. To complete our
misery, the clouds kept sending us snow and hail— dark,
sharp, cutting hail. This continued till Wednesday, the
tenth of September. While it is true that the wind con-
tinued, even on this day, W. to N. W., accompanied by
constant snow, it became possible about noon to again
bring our vessel under more sail and its course was
changed to Southwest. We then had a chance about
three o'clock in the afternoon to see another vessel
through the fog. It was a freight-bark, which cruised
East-ward, probably bound for Europe ; none but the fore-
mast-sail was set out.
Soon after this we experienced another ' 'rough sea,"
which destroyed the pigeon-house that we had standing
on deck and washed away a few things, without causing
much damage. The sky was thickly clouded when night
came and the storm increased but it did not reach its
greatest violence until Thursday, the eleventh, in broad
daylight; the severe cold again caused plenty of ice to
form on board. Early in the morning there was another
Joss to be registered, another sail gone which compelled
THE OCEAN VOYAGE 123
us to drift all day with but one small bark sail and the
well reefed mizzen in a sea truly mountainous and con-
stantly breaking over our deck. Another heavy wave
broke our mizzen mast about eleven o'clock in the fore-
noon and the water came rushing down the steerage in
such quantities that our lower bunks on our starboard
side were completely under water. The violence of the
waves was terrible and the ship suffered to such an ex-
tent, causing so much water to come in my own bunk, that
mattress and blanket were thoroughly saturated, our
deck being sadly in need of repairs.
One can only obtain a faint idea of the terrific force
of this hurricane, for such I can call it, without scruple,
when iTelate the fact of our having on board an iron bar,
four inches thick and twelve feet in length, which, as it
was lying flat on deck, was suddenly carried away as if it
had been nothing but a feather.
Our barometer stood all day 5'" below storm, or at 25"
7'". At last, toward sunset, the storm abated so that we
were able to set topsail again. The next day— Friday—
we found ourselves in a snow-bod, which had fallen during
the night, and even at noon there was plenty of it; the
sun, though bright, had been powerless to melt it as the
cold remained piercing all day with a S. S. W. wind. We
kept West by South under well reefed sails. I can very
well make a division and call this the second Cape storm,
which had so far subsided that we were able to slightly
loosen the sails by five o'clock of the same afternoon. We
had in all ninety-nine hours of storm which though vary-
ing in severity, had actually raged all this time, a fact
which is even a rare occurrence in this storm-beaten lati-
tude. Saturday, the thirteenth, we had quite a severe
North wind and rain, the air, however, being less cold
than on the previous day. The sea was still exceedingly
rough and the waves broke over our deck as before. We
continued Southwest to Southwest by West as the wind
would permit us.
The weather remained thus somewhat bearable until
about half-past ten in the evening when, without the least
124 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
warning or sign, another tornado struck us, coming from
South-Southwest with such violence that even the most
inexperienced of our passengers marveled that our masts
were not carried away; even the captain himself had ex-
pected it.
As already mentioned this storm caught us at a time
when there was absolutely no preparation made to meet
it as it came unexpectedly; the barometer did not even
fall until we were in the midst of it, when it went down
to 25" 2'".— No wonder then that all our sails were set
at the time the storm so suddenly broke on us. It was
only possible to fasten and secure the sails by the most
strenuous efforts of the captain and crew which were
greatly hindered by the thick snowstorm and constant
motion of the ship. But they succeeded in fastening the
top-jib and foremast-sails, though every one of them
was more or less damaged or torn. The main sail, how-
ever, was doomed. While it still stood the tornado grew
fiercer and fiercer and there was danger in every mo-
ment's delay; but our captain dared not give the
order which was to have saved the beautiful sail made
of nearly fifteen hundred square feet of heaviest,
strongest sail cloth. All remonstration, all begging
proved fruitless. Nobody was willing to risk his life
to the imminent danger — for such it seemed. At last
there came forth three volunteers in the persons of our
sail maker, cook and ship's carpenter— three men, every
one of whom had already passed his thirty-fifth year and
was a true specimen of a South Sea sailor— these men
were ready to risk the hazardous undertaking. They
were just going along the main yard, slowly and cau-
tiously, when we heard a terrific noise, something like
the firing of a cannon. The storm had torn the brand
new sail. The carpenter retired, but the cook and the
sail maker undertook courageously to save at least part
of the cloth; but what could have been accomplished even
by the fist of a Hercules under such circumstances? Rag
after rag tore away from the beautiful sail and in a quar-
ter of an hour there was nothing left except a few tatters,
THE OCEAN VOYAGE 125
beaten by the wind. This happened about one o'clock at
night. The next thing was another billow of unusual
height and momentum, which came dashing over the
helm, throwing two sailors from the wheel, one of whom
had his left hand crushed; again the mizzen mast broke
and with it the rigging, the whole coming down greatly
damaged, hat we managed to place it securely. At four
o'clock, having raged for fully live hours, the storm sub-
sided, taking along about thirty feet of our backboard
trimming as a trophy. The wind calmed down quickly
about seven o'clock, giving way to the Sunday sun, which
shone bright and warm, while we had only a pleasant
Southwestern breeze.
I hardly ever witnessed a sadder scene than that which
oar vessel presented on this morning. It was very cold.
The rigging hung in a most dilapidated condition, torn
here and there, and again knotted; some of it was lying
on deck, which was coated with ice more than an inch
thick with the exception of a few spots where the snow-
had gathered. Bowsprit, anchor, capstan, in one word,
the whole bow of the ship was thickly covered with ice
and snow. The masts and tackling were likewise cov-
<. red with ice. at least as high. as the spray of the waves
had reached, which represented a height at least of
twenty to thirty feet. Under the yards, on the ropes and
other protruding parts of the running rigging, there were
long icicles hanging everywhere. One piece of the broken
mizzen mast was lying on deck, while another one fas-
tened to the vessel, was trailing along in the water; the
sail of the mizzen was on the cabin roof, partly frozen
ami partly covered with snow, one end of it reaching con-
siderably over hoar-!. Of all the sails there remained
only the little bark sail, which was almost useless under
the slight breeze and the raging sea. The snow coy
deck was seldom crossed by any one this morning, as tie-
whole crew was sadly in need of rest after that terrible
night's work; everybody was therefore trying to obtain
as much comfort in his bunk as was possible under the
circum tances.
126 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
The condition of our vessel was a pitiful one indeed
and I must really confess that on this day at least I was
not free from worries as to our immediate future. Four
of our sailors had become disabled, among whom were
three who had become seriously injured externally; our
brand new sheet iron side coatings had given way and
could not be repaired on account of the prevailing frost.
Our running rigging was torn or, if not completely so, it
was worn out beyond remedy and in this case too the cold
forbade any attempt at repairs or renewal. The worst
feature of the situation was the condition of our sails,
it being truly distressing. Until we reached La Plata
the old sails had been in constant use, after which the
two topsails, fore and mainsails were replaced by new
ones, which had never been in service. But even these
new sails had suffered terribly, especially the big topsail,
which showed no less than eleven holes, large and small ;
that of the fore mast had become so threadbare that one
could have easily outlined the sun or the moon from be-
hind it. The only consolation in this hour of general dis-
tress was to be found in the fact that the body of our
vessel had suffered comparatively little, so that the water
at the pumps did not amount to much.
Thus were we compelled to float till about two o'clock
in the afternoon on this lonely Sunday.
The vessel was then put in repairs, first by replacing
top and jibsails which were set to the light Southwestern
wind; after this was accomplished, all hands were ready
to fix up the mizzen again, in which we succeeded by
seven o'clock; the breeze blew towards the North-North-
west.
The night between Sunday and Monday, the 15th, was
the first one which passed somewhat quietly since we
passed the Strait Le Maire. We succeeded in making
good time during the forenoon and were even encouraged
to set the topsail to West by South. However, when two
o'clock came we were again overtaken by a severe storm,
accompanied by snow, coming from the South ; the former
cutting cold prevailed and this state of affairs continued
THE OCEAN VOYAGE 127
till the following forenoon. On Tuesday, the sixteenth,
the wind turned again to Southwest. We had bright
weather, though it was icy cold and the deck remained
thickly glazed with ice all day long. During the night
we reefed the big topsail, gaff top, etc., and steered West-
Northwest.
On Monday, the 17th of September, we again had a
change of wind after a calm of short duration. Ve had
the great satisfaction of finding the air mild and agree-
able, and by six o'clock in the morning the snow and ice,
which had covered our ship for days, began to thaw and
soon disappeared from the deck as well as from the rig-
ging. The dark green coloring of the ocean and the calm
of the waves announced again the close vicinity of land.
We kept Southwest by South, and made a very satisfac-
tory run.
Toward eight o'clock we caught sight of a little island
rock, Cape Deceit, which is about two German miles from
Cape Horn, and in our estimation we must have seen it
at a distance of eleven miles. Hardly a quarter of an
hour had passed when we beheld the insurmountable peak
of the celebrated and much feared Cape itself. YVe kept
Cape Horn in view till about four o'clock in the after-
noon, after which the thickening air commenced to hin-
der observation. "When we had approached the Cape
within eight Gorman miles, its immense mass of rocks
was plainly outlined on the darkening horizon. At the
same time and distance there came a number of promi-
nently projecting points of the Hermites Islands plainly
within our view. The wind was rather refreshing during
the day and turned gradually toward North. We soon
shortened sails and about four o'clock we came within
a short distance of the Diego Ramirez Islands, a little
archipelago consisting of thirty-six large and small
islands, which are close together and look like black per-
pendicular rocks in the unfathomable sea. The highest
points of these islands roughly estimated may be a thou-
sand feet above the ocean level; they show clearly the
volcano type, are completely barren and covered with
128 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
perpetual snow. The sight of these cliffs, on which the
most terrific storms and breakers had beaten during
thousands of years past, created a feeling of indescrib-
able gloom, uneasiness and sadness, which was rather
increased by the immense swarms of screeching alba-
trosses, ocean geese and cape doves, which find shelter
here by millions. As we were lucky enough to reach
these Ramirez Isles by half past six o'clock, i. e., just
before dark, at a distance of about four German miles,
I could not forego the pleasure of drawing a few sketches,
though, upon my word, my fingers became as stiff as the
horns of a billy goat.
The approaching night made it gradually impossible
for us to distinguish the disappearing of the archipelago
from our horizon, and the strong breeze drove our ship
quickly through the calm waters in a Southwest direc-
tion. We had by this time crossed the Atlantic in its
wildest dimension and entered upon the waters of the
South Sea.
I shall now take a short respite and then make a re-
view for your benefit of the last few days, to complete
this report.
Now, since everything is a matter of the past, I am glad
to have gone through it. The trials were indeed over-
whelming and injurious to the health of every one, but,
notwithstanding all privations, I had the good fortune
of coming out hale and hearty.
It creates quite a sensation while one is sitting in the
circle of loved ones around the aromatic tea table
and close by the old-fashioned fireplace, to read a well
written description of some thrilling sea novel, with its
snowstorms, its creaking and breaking of masts, its rat-
tling of frozen rigging; and one thus by contrast feels a
glow of satisfaction in the warm and cosy homestead.
But you will believe me, that to read a description of a
tornado, and to actually live through it, are decidedly
two very different things, particularly when the scene
takes place amidst real snow and ice around Cape Horn.
One may experience a profound feeling for all that is
THE OCEAN VOYAGE 129
imposing and grand on the wild waves of the ocean or
during a storm just below the Equator, but when one has
reached the sixtieth degree of South latitude, one is not
likely to indulge in mere sentimental or emotional im-
pressions. On the contrary, he is more forcibly reminded
of the gnawings of an empty stomach, the freezing hands,
the ice cold feet and the wet, frozen clothes! It is really
not a fable if I tell you that we were actually endangering
our lives in our attempts to fetch our scant meals ; they
were scant, because it was impossible for the cook to fill
the kettles more than half full on account of the terrible
rocking of the vessel. The biting frost, the ice coated,
slippery deck, strewn with fragments of rope and rig-
gings, which were treacherously hidden under half-frozen
snow, now and then a rushing billow which saturated
one's clothes to the skin— all this having been successfully
overcome on the way to the kitchen, we received there
the prize of our undertaking— half a cup of tea or coffee ;
and then we had to return with it in the same dangerous
maimer, and happy was he when the storm only spilled
half the contents of his cherished bowl, and it is needless
to state that tea and coffee were completely cold by the
time we had reached the steerage again. Similar were
our experiences at dinner time. The food was invariably
cold and too little to satisfy one's craving. In addition
to this you may consider the wet clothes, wet feet and
hands, the cutting, cold draught of the steerage in which
the water would at times be splashing as much as on
deck; then figure to yourself the soaking wet mattresses
and woollen blankets, which were kept in this state by
every new shower wave, the water of which would find
its way through the cracks of the deck. Imagine that,
whether one sits or lies down, there is absolutely no com-
fort, no rest, as the constant motion of the vessel requires
as much Btrength to keep these positions as would walk-
ing or standing under the same circumstances. You will
thus gain a slight conception of our frame of mind during
these unhappy days and of our great joy when we had
( Jape Horn behind us.
9
130 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
With all our misfortunes we still have reason to re-
joice. As much as we had to suffer, we had at least the
satisfaction of seeing some extraordinary sights, which
recompensed me at least abundantly for the hardships
we had met.
There are hundreds of ships sailing around the cape
that do not even see land at a distance, while we had the
advantage of obtaining a broad day view of the cape as
well as of the Diego Eamirez Islands, when we had al-
ready made up our mind that it would be our unavoidable
fate to cruise the South Sea for weeks only amidst ice and
snowstorms. We, too, had sailed a whole day along the
romantic coast of the "Fireland" (tierra del fuego) and
passed the Strait Le Maire on a bright day, which is in
itself an unusual occurrence, as only very experienced
sea faring men who know the cape and its surroundings
well and who have passed it often will dare to pass
through this narrow strait. The only conditions which
can tempt them to risk this trip are bright weather and
light, favorable wind (by which I mean West and North-
West wind) which will enable them to make the run in
daylight; otherwise they prefer to sail around Staten
Island, foregoing thereby the pleasure of seeing the inter-
esting points I have mentioned. Everything seemed to
come my way during this long voyage so that, notwith-
standing the many hardships and privations, I cannot
find much reason for complaint, but rather see good cause
for satisfaction.
Let us therefore be thankful that my voyage around
the cape terminated so satisfactorily.
One can safely consider the dangers of Cape Horn over-
come as soon as the Eamirez Islands are passed, for the
difference between the South Sea and the Atlantic is
pronounced in many respects, and it rarely occurs that a
vessel which has once reached this point is buffeted back
again over the meridian of Cape Horn.
The Northwest and West-Northwest winds, which blew
during the next few days, compelled us again to take a
Southwestern direction till we had reached the sixty-first
§1
8*
THE OCEAN VOYAC.I". 131
degree of southern latitude. Tlie weather compared to
that of the same degree in the Atlantic was far less cold,
though more foggy and the stonns were not as severe.
The waves were still rolling high, though much more
regular than was experienced in the strait which lies be-
tween the archipelago off the New South Shetland coast
and the Fireland; this strait is hardly ninety miles in
width. We must, however, take into consideration the
fact that the powerful northern ocean current, which
runs along the coast of Patagonia, adds materially to the
turbulence of the sea in that region.
I remember the picture in Meyer's Universal Encyclo-
pedia, well, quite well; it is a perfect representation of
facts and even the portraiture of the ocean has not at all
been exaggerated. The waves reach an almost incredible
height; I have seen them roll up many a day, reaching
a fluctuating line that would easily measure twenty-five
or thirty feet from the foot to their highest curve. The
''lambkins," as the sailors often call the splashing crowns
of foam, are frequently from sixty to seventy-five feet
long and twenty to thirty feet wide. Just such little
"lambkins" knocked in our ship's waist and broke our
mizzen mast.
When we tried to set our main sail on Friday, the 19th,
the yard broke right off, probably in consequence of dam-
age which it had sustained before because the prevailing
breeze, though strong, did by no means blow hard enough
to warrant such an occurrence. The loss was soon re-
placed by the fore yard; of course we had to do without
sail on the fore mast. "We kept the southwestern course
without much interruption until Monday, the 22d, when
an immense whale came within a quarter of a mile of
our starboard; it. measured at least eighty to ninety feet
in length. It had become necessary for us to seek the
wide ocean, partly on account of the storm, partly on
account of the close proximity of dangerous trap cliffs,
which are quite numerous on this coast. What retarded
our progress most at the present stage was the extremely
poor condition of our sails and rigging, which, as already
132 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
mentioned, needed, under the circumstances, the greatest
care in their handling.
Commencing the twenty-second we steered Northward.
The weather continued to be somewhat rough and the
wind blew from the North and Northwest, bringing with
it a good deal of rain; and these northerly winds did not
leave us until the twenty-sixth. About noon on this last
named date the air clouded visibly and soon after we took
occasion to rejoice in a heavy snow fall which in these
regions is taken as a good omen for favorable wind, as
the North wind brings warmth and rain but no snow
with it.
Our hope had not deceived us as a good South wind
came up toward five o 'clock, enabling us to turn N. N. W.
This favorable change continued throughout the night
and well along Monday morning, thus helping us con-
siderably as we had kept full sail all the while. We had
also occasion to hail a South Sea hunter but could not
understand each other. A snowfall, probably the last
one on this journey, changed the atmosphere slightly.
Monday, September 29th, was a playday for the winds
which seemed to chase each other from and into all direc-
tions. The crew made good use of the leisure hours by
mending torn sails and replacing the ones that had be-
come dangerously storm-beaten. The large mainsail had
suffered much and our men worked diligently to make it
sea and ship shape. After dark the wind settled once
more in the "West and a heavy storm came up. How
thankful we were to have repaired our sails, as the wind
gave us more and more concern.
It broke the fore yard (which was fully sixty feet long
and eighteen inches thick) in two like a match; this hap-
pened about four o'clock in the morning of Tuesday, the
thirtieth. The rejiairs thus made imperatively necessary
took all day and delayed our progress considerably. We
fortunately found in the reserve hatch an old damaged
but large yard, which was put into service after having
been placed in proper condition by attaching small se-
curity planks and winding a strong rope around the weak
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9 2
5 d
THE OCEAN VOYAGE 133
parts. As the vessel was laboring' heavily through the
hollow sea, and the rain being much in evidence, it was
quite a difficult task to bring this heavy yard in place and
in ship shape condition for sendee, aud night had already
set iu when the last finishing touches permitted its re-
newed use. The fore topsail was set once more. On
Wednesday, the first of October, as early as one o'clock in
the morning, there came a heavy rainstorm which de-
stroyed our jib for the second time; as soon as the sun
had risen this was replaced by a brand new sail and
again set agoing. Toward evening "we again made our
bill without consulting the host" and this happened quite
often during our voyage. We were steering toward the
coast, thinking that the next morning would find us close
to the Bay of Corral, which in reality is the harbor of
Valdivia. But we were once more to be disappointed as
the wind turned North and continued thus with steady
showers until about noon of Saturday, the fourth, which
compelled us to cruise once more. We were so thor-
oughly disappointed at not seeing the Harbor of Corral
as we expected, that neither the sight of three immense
whales nor the reappearance of a few flying fish were
able to dissipate our bad humor. But we had not seen
the worst. About one o'clock we were once more in the
midst of a heavy Northwest storm, bringing with it hail,
thunder and lightning. As quickly as possible the jib,
main, top and mizzen sails were secured and the vessel
went West-Southwest.
Hardly had we changed the course when lightning
struck the water about 150 to 200 feet from our ship side,
followed by heavy thunder bolts. In the evening we had
lightning in the West. Though the storm abated during
Sunday, there was little change in the air until Tuesday,
the seventh. We were all in bad humor. It was really
enough to vex anyone. During a whole week we had
been close to our destination, and yet we had never made
more than a day's journey and had even seen land Men-
day morning at nine o'clock, some three miles away.
About five miles from Cape Carlos there was a high
134 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
pointed elevation which prevented our entry at the time,
but we had to be thankful to God for being permitted to
sail in close proximity to the coast.
The weather became more favorable on Wednesday,
the eighth, when the wind settled in the West, blowing
more regularly, while the sea calmed considerably and
the air brightened. We pressed the sails hard all day
long so that our larboard was constantly under water.
We had yet a few showers during the afternoon, which
ended about six o'clock, followed by a magnificent, com-
plete double rainbow, which exhibited a beautiful variety
of harmonious colors, the like of which I have never be-
fore witnessed. The air became bright and mild, the
wind turning Southwest, which made it comparatively
easy to set full sails for land. The night, enlivened by
beautiful moonlight, aided our purpose greatly. In order
to avoid an untimely arrival we made another little trip,
just enough to fill out the time from eleven in the evening
to two o'clock in the morning. The horizon was clear
until daybreak, when a light fog set in. When five
o 'clock came it was sufficiently bright and clear to recog-
nize the high coast of Chile, which was about four miles
from our vessel in East-Northeastern direction. We now
sailed slowly along the high and rocky coast, which was
covered with an impenetrable primitive forest down to
the sea level, until we reached Cape San Carlos by one
o 'clock. While it is generally necessary to give the cape
a wide berth, we were fortunate enough to pass right
around it, and half an hour later we were at anchor, a
quarter of a mile from Fort Corral, in one of the most
beautiful and picturesque harbors of the world. One
hundred and twenty days and ten hours and a half had
passed since we weighed anchor in Cuxhaven.
It was with a strange, indescribable feeling that I first
trod upon American soil. I slowly ascended the narrow
path among the steep rocks, which led from the beach
into the Chilean village Corral, but while my comrades
dispersed to find wine, bread and cheese in the cottages I
continued my way into the forest covered mountains.
Q
> 2
—
-
2q
THE OCEAN VOYAGE 135
My path with the dried-up bed of a mountain or forest
stream, a deep cavity between mossy walls, on which
wild climbers would run up and down, swinging their
gay flowers back and forth in the evening air. Every
step in this rocky wall gave me indescribable delight, so
that I made for myself a path through weeds and bushes
of fuschias, which were seemingly determined to oppose
my progress the higher I went.
When I had reached a height of about four hundred
feet above the sea I stopped and sat down upon the stump
of an old laurel tree, which was covered with moss.
There at my feet lay the harbor in which I counted ten
barks and one three-masted vessel, all Chileans; all were
at anchor and further away was our "Victoria." To my
right there reflected the beautiful evening sky in the mir-
ror-like mouth of the Rio Valdivia, between the high
Fort of Niebla and the charming island Mansera, the tree
covered mountain peak of which was only surpassed in
height by the snow-capped peak of the Volcano of Villa
Rica, which showed light smoke; to my left was the open-
ing of the harbor; between mountain forests and the
rocky coast of the South Sea could be plainly seen as
far as Cape "El Molino." The coast mountains, some
six hundred feet high and covered with thickly set trees,
were under the spell of profound silence, as even the
screeching of the parrot could but rarely be heard.
Everything was solemn and qniet. Had it not been for
the approaching darkness I surely would not have
thought of returning; even then 1 did so reluctantly, by
the way through the arroyo bed.
While Criinhagen and I were awaiting the boat of the
"Victoria," we accidentally met Don Rafael Asenco, the
port master, who drew us into an English conversation.
The man must have takes a liking to us as lie asked as !■>
he his guests the same evening, an invitation which we
thankfully accepted. We appeared at the proper time
to find five or six Chilean sea captains and two French-
men. The ladies present, among whom the three daugh-
ters of Sefior Asenco, spoke only Spanish. Notwithstand-
136 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
ing this I spent a very pleasant evening as I could any-
how talk to some of the captains either in French or
English. There was dancing and singing with guitar ac-
companiment, all with doors and windows open, which
are only closed in times when people do not wish to
receive visitors.
The night was mild and when I returned about mid-
night to Capt. Sanlar's gig my whole voyage with all its
disagreeableness seemed but a past dream. While we
were gliding along the mirror-like bay, the beautiful,
silvery, full moon dipped its shining light into the silent
waters and the dark forest threw its quiet shadow about,
while we returned on board the "Victoria."
Such were the first few hours which I spent upon
American soil. The kind hospitality which I found upon
my arrival in a foreign land left a lasting impression and
served as a good omen.
During the following two days we had many visits
from Germans of Valdivia, which did not interest me
particularly. I preferred to tramp and climb on the
beach and in the mountains, notwithstanding the fre-
quent showers. The weather became pleasant and steady
about the Sunday following. The night before was
marked by the departure of those passengers who desired
to remain in Valdivia and as I was very anxious to see
that city I joined the travelers, among whom was Griin-
hagen. We rented a boat and the five of us, accompanied
by a young merchant named Uhtemann, who had been in
Valdivia about a year, left the "Victoria" at nine o'clock
in the morning of Sunday, the twelfth. Our way led up
the broad and deep Rio Valdivia, which bears the name
Calla-calle after passing the city. The high rocky banks
are covered with impenetrable forests which rarely show
a mark of ax or fire. Here and there in caves we saw
scattered a few huts and block-houses, the dwellings of
Chilean wood choppers (peones) or of newly immigrated
German colonists. Further up and particularly begin-
ning where the Rio Graces empties its waters into the
Valdivia, about three-fourths of a mile below the city,
«
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THE OCEAN VOYAGE 137
the country becomes more level, while the coast cordillera
seemingly runs aside from the river bed; however, one
sees neither here nor in the immediate vicinity of the city
cultivated ground worth mentioning, as in most places
nothing has been done but rough tree cutting, whereof
the stumps remained standing.
About one o'clock in the afternoon we arrived in Val-
divia. The town did not impress me as being particularly
foreign in its build. There were about two hundred and
fifty to three hundred one-story wooden houses scattered
in disorder, mostly covered with shingles, rarely with
straw; few had glass windows. The streets were all with-
out paving or grading and ran up and down, owing to
the fact that the town is built upon uneven ground. Most
houses have some kind of a nursery attached, which like-
wise contains a few vegetable and flower beds; rose
bushes and apple trees were already in full bloom. The
whole place bore the appearance of a large primitive
village.
We remained in Valdivia until Monday and met great
hospitality among the German residents. While they do
not put themselves to any particular trouble for one's
sake, their hearty welcome makes you feel quite at home.
There are a great many Germans in Valdivia, who show
signs of wealth in a comparatively short time, particu-
larly the artisans. However, they do not live altogether
in harmony with their Chilean neighbors, whose truly
Spanish tenderness and ease is often met by characteris-
tic German' severity and firmness. Politically they re-
main non-partisan, but they have established a so-called
citizens' guard of their own in order to maintain neces-
sary watchfulness and secure to themselves protection
in these days of unrest. They have even succeeded in
maintaining a guard in the government building. The
militia of the natives, which is at present in arms
throughout Chile, is as comical looking a sight as you
can possibly see. The whole company goes bare-footed,
their uniforms which are made after the old Prussian
pattern, are blue, trimmed with red, over which they
138 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
wear the " poncho," the national garment, which con-
sists of a square, gay colored woolen blanket. This
blanket has a slit in the middle, through which one puts
his head. The "poncho" is considered by Germans and
natives alike a very useful article, particularly when
on horseback, as it is not only comfortable and warm,
but of so closely woven material that the rain does not
penetrate it. We left Valdivia on Monday, the 13th,
after having explored every point of interest; it only
took us about two hours to reach our vessel again, as we
had four able native rowers.
The weather remained favorable, as I have already
stated, and it seems almost unnecessary to assure you
that I made good use of my limbs, as you are perfectly
aware of my love for excursions, particularly when trips
into a mountainous, region are so easily accomplished
as they are here. Whenever we wanted to visit some
point of interest, unapproachable by land, we would row
along the shore of the bay, and thereby attain our object.
At other times I would just take it easy by lying down
in the boat and, like a ferry man, await a chance to take
a, parcel ashore, which often took me across the bay to
the islands Niebla or Mansera, which, though about half
a German mile distant, did not even tire me, when T
had to make my way against flood and wind.
The harbor was originally well fortified by the Span-
iards but now both forts and batteries are very much
neglected and I doubt if one would be able to find a
dozen old iron guns which could be pressed into service.
The buildings are, for the greater part, neglected and
covered with moss and climbers ; they are in many in-
stances mere ruins of which one sees quite a number
all around the bay. The little isle Mansera, which is
exclusively inhabited by Chileans, has the ruins of a
monastery, which are indeed very picturesque.
Corral is a poor mountain village with only two Ger-
man residents, the Klix brothers, one of whom has a
little store in the village, while the other one owns a
saw mill on the road to the fort. Outside of the few
THE OCEAN VOYAGE 139
village streets there is only one single road which may
be called practicable; it leads along the bank of the
bay toward the old Fort San Carlos. All communica-
tions are sent either by water or over the narrow trails
of dried up mountain creek beds, such as I described
before. The climbing in these mountain paths is by no
means an easy matter for the uninitiated, as the rolling
pebbles cause one to slip, if not steadied by climbers,
which, in turn, have to be cut or cleared to make prog-
ress possible. Every now and then one has to crawl
along over and sometimes even under rocks or fallen
trees, wade through wild mountain streams or cross a
primitive bridge of joining branches, below which a
chasm or cave of unknown depth may be hiding. Often
these places are covered with fuschias of all kinds, below
which one sometimes hears the falling of the waters
from rock to rock. No matter where I went the sur-
roundings presented about the same picturesque char-
acter, though scarcely two places were alike; the change
of scenery was truly magnificent.
The excursions by water were no less entertaining
than those by land, particularly those undertaken on the
brilliant moonlight nights, when we rowed along the
grayish coast rocks, from which the bushes often
touched our boat, while the splashing of the oars was
the only sound that disturbed the universal and pro-
found silence of the southern night.
During my stay in Corral I had little desire to enter
the habitations of men and it is for that very reason that
I have learned very little of either. The Chileans, i. e.,
the men, have well shaped features, dark or black, thick
beards, curly hair and beautiful black eyes, which har-
monize well with their dark complexion. The women,
on the contrary, are rather homely, almost all short and
stout, and old matrons at thirty. Even 1 1 1 * * young girls
are not to my taste, though it cannot be denied that
their fresh, round faces, their burning eyes and beau-
tiful black hair are great attractions. I have had the
opportunity of seeing a girl of slender build but once,
140 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
though I can say of her without endangering my con-
science—she was pretty. My meeting with her in the
ruins of Mansera was of short duration but nevertheless
romantic, if not adventurous.
The Indians are easily distinguished from the Chile-
ans, and they are mostly to be found among the work-
ingmen. They belong to the nation of the Araucans,
are of small stature, reddish-brown; their faces are flat
and homely, and their hair is straight and black, hang-
ing disorderly upon the shoulders. Their garments do
not differ much from the others.
The houses in Corral are all built of wood, except the
halls of the fort, which are of adobe brick, but like
everything here— lacking in cleanliness. One generally
steps from the street right into the sitting room, which
in many instances is only partly floored. Windows are
only found in two houses, Asenco's being one of them.
Even the more pretentious ones have a very plain selec-
tion of furniture and rarely anything but tables and
chairs; cupboards, dressers, bureaus and the like are
nowhere in sight. One-half of the room, nearest to the
window, has a more or less elegant carpet, reserved for
the women, who cower upon it all day without the least
occupation, unless it be to keep the fire going in cold
weather.
Alongside of our vessel is anchored the bark "Joven
Julia" from Valparaiso, whose captain, Rickmess, a
native of Hamburg, visited us quite often. "Whenever
we went on an excursion he would go with us; and the
remembrance of this kind old man will not be effaced as
long as I live.
Whenever there was an opportunity I inquired about
conditions in Chile, and especially in regard to foreign
settlers and shall complete, my investigation as I go
along.
On Friday, October the 17th, we received on board
eight new passengers for Valparaiso, three of whom
went in the steerage, the others being cabin passengers.
Among the latter was a Chilean artillery captain, a for-
THE OCEAN VOYAGE 141
mer commander of Osomo, who, being a state prisoner,
was escorted on board by soldiers.
After a rest of nine days in this magnificent harbor,
we weighed anchor on Saturday, the 18th of October.
No matter how destiny may shape my future in Amer-
ica, I shall always cherish a happy remembrance of
Corral and its paradisiacal surroundings.
We started at nine o'clock with a light "West-South-
"West wind and passed Cape El Molino about half-past
twelve, and were once again in open sea. It was our
good fortune to have a brisk South wind which filled
our sails and hurried us along the coast, which we did
not lose sight of during the entire day. Toward even-
ing we observed the snow-capped volcanos of Villa Eica
and Osorno.
There is hardly anything to be told of our journey
to Valparaiso, as the mild, warm weather and the quiet
ocean with an agreeable Southern breeze afforded very
little variety; in fact, one might almost as well have
made this trip while asleep. On "Wednesday, the 22d,
we reached the Bay of Valparaiso about daybreak. We
then steered under full sails right into the bay, but re-
ceived a setback at nine o'clock, when overtaken by a
complete calm which compelled us to call for tow boats
as we were still a mile from the place where anchoring
seemed desirable.
The weather was warm and pleasant and while we
moved along at snail's pace one could follow the magnif-
icent panorama presented to our view which gradually
became more and more distant. The center of this splen-
did scene was the city of Valparaiso itself, which is
bnilt on a terrace; and it appears the more picturesque
as the sky-high, snow-capped Andes form an incompara-
bly beautiful background.
"We anchored about one o'clock in the afternoon, a
quarter of a German mile from shore, and in the midst
of about three hundred merchant vessels and men-of-
war, which surrounded us very closely.
At present I am unable to write much about Valpa-
142 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
raiso as I went ashore yesterday, the 24th, to present my
letters of recommendation, spending the remainder of
my time in writing letters, as the mail is going out to-
morrow and all letters are to be handed in today. They
will go with the Royal Mail Steamer to Panama and
from thence to Europe. I can see that boat right close
by; the next mail will go within another month's time.
The main thing has been accomplished; you will know
on receipt of this that I have arrived here in good
health. It will be my lot and is my determination (as
I am ready and filled with courage) to meet in America
whatever the future may have in store for me. I have
made many inquiries about San Francisco, both here
and in Valdivia and strange to say the reports are very
contradictory even from people who have come from
there but a short while ago. I have therefore decided
to investigate for myself, caring little for favorable or
contrary information. There is, unfortunately, little
chance of continuing the voyage to San Francisco on
board of this vessel and we — i. e., seven other passengers
and myself— will have to embark in a strange boat.
Probably we shall have to remain here a few weeks and
if this proves to be the case, I shall write again for the
next mail. Should we, however, get a chance to set out
sooner, which would be a surprise indeed, then you will
receive my next letter from San Francisco. Do not
therefore set your heart upon another letter before four
months. You will in all probability have heard that San
Francisco has been visited by two conflagrations, one
in May and another one in July, destroying a greater
part of the city. I now hasten to close this letter, as
the time is growing rather short.
How much I would have liked to know that this letter
will be in your hands at the time of your birthday, my
dearest, most beloved mother, but this will be an abso-
lute impossibility. I would have been so happy in giv-
ing you this pleasure, knowing that you who love me
so tenderly and unceasingly, would have rejoiced in
nothing more than in the thought that your boy is well
THE OCEAN VOYAGE 143
and in good spirits. You will know it a few days later
and the joyous tidings which I intended for your birth-
day will reach you by New Year's or on the birthday
of my darling sister Mary. If the truthful assurance
that I am filled with happy courage and confidence in
my future success as well as in possession of as great a
mental and physical strength as I ever enjoyed or would
have enjoyed at home, can have the guiding and sooth-
ing effect upon you that it ought to have, I will give it
from the bottom of my heart.
Now, farewell! All my dear ones at home! I would
have liked to add a few words of love and friendship to
many a one, but it was not possible. You, my dear
father, will find a few words of special nature in the
inclosure.
It is hard for me to tear myself from this letter but—
it must— it must be! Good bye, all you who love me
and who think of me in kindness!
Good bye!
(signed) Frank Lecouvreur.
The Apenrnde Brig entered just after I closed this
letter; it is the same which we met on July the 19th. I
reopened the letter quickly to mention this. I am unable
to send the sketch which I promised you, as the time is
too limited. Fr. L. C.
Valparaiso Harbor, the 12th of November, 1851, on
board of the Hamburg Bark "Victoria," (/apt. Meyer.
My Dear Parents: You will have received my last
letter, No. 9, measuring so-and-so many yards, which I
forwarded by the Panama steamer on the 26th of Octo-
ber through caTe of Bartsch in Hamburg, and today I
seat myself again, pen in hand, in order to spend the
last day which I shall probably stay on board of the
"Victoria" by writing to my dear ones. I see already
that it will be my greatest pleasure here in America to
chat with you.
144 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
But before I go into details about my sojourn here, I
must thank you most heartily for the great pleasure
which your letter No. 7, of July 19th has afforded me. I
cried like a child when Capt. Meyer brought it to me in
the afternoon of the 30th of October. Since then I have
always carried it around in my pocket; I read it daily,
at least once until I know it by heart.
It quiets, it pleases me greatly that you all have kept
well, especially that the health of my dear Mary is im-
proving. May Providence grant that she recover com-
pletely and that I may not be able to recognize on my
return in later years, in the healthy, robust " Madam
Moritz" the pale, delicate girl I left— my sister— my
darling sister, she will remain forever! The letter, which
bore on the outside a greeting from Louis Dubois, Ham-
burg, August 12th, I received through Franz Hallmann,
to whom it had been sent by Wachowski from Santiago.
Thus may the delay be explained, as it has made the
voyage from here to the capital and back. As you know,
we are here since the 22d of October, during which time
I have uninterruptedly boarded and roomed on board.
As Capt. Meyer has kindly offered free use of his boat
to the passengers, in order to ferry us ashore and back
as often as we desired to make use of it, I have had little
chance of spending money, though I quite often strolled
round on shore a whole day at a time. If we had not
had the use of the boat I would probably have been able
to take but few trips ashore, as the ferrying across is a
very costly operation ; if one has to depend upon the lit-
tle ferry boats, which are rowing around the harbor
for that purpose; each of such trips costs two reales
(10 Silbergroschen), back and forth, therefore more than
20 Slbgr. in Prussian money. All other prices here are
in proportion. In the eating houses no smaller coin than
a real is known. A glass of ordinary Chilean wine, a
cup of tea, chocolate or coffee, a glass of cognac-punch,
yes, even a glass of ordinary corn brandy costs one real
(5 Slbgr.). If one wants to have a somewhat respectable
meal, one is compelled to pay at least three reales. A
THE OCEAN VOYAGE US
game of billiard costs two reales; an hour of bowling in
a fairly good alley means one peso (8 reales) and so on.
Even the ordinary bread— none but wheat bread is
known here— is enormously high, twelve little loaves,
the size of 2 pfennig ( ' -e) biscuits cost one real.
If (as I wrote to you) Valdivia has absolutely failed
to leave a foreign impression upon me, Valparaiso has
abundantly made up for it. The city extends about half
a German (1 '/& Eng.) mile in a northerly direction, along
a deep bay, is crescent, shaped and built upon the narrow
beach, which is often less than 50 yards in width, lying
between the steep, majestic coast mountains, the Cor-
dilleras, and the niveau of the ocean, partly in the moun-
tains, so that, observed from the bay, the whole looks
like a ten-ace, built along the foothills and sides of the
mountain range. Thus even nature divides Valparaiso
into two parts: the lower and the upper city: (1) the
city of wealth and (2) the city of poverty; of extreme
luxury and pomp, of wide, well paved streets with mag-
nificent stores and residences and steep, crooked, rocky
mountain alleys between low, miserable huts; below, the
splendid carriages and the glittering of silk dresses;
above, the climbing of half-fed donkeys and mules, and
half-naked women and children, tramping in mud. The
only things which the upper and lower Valparaiso have
in common are the mud during the rainy season, and
the endless dust in summer time; innumerable barking
dogs, fleas of immense size and bedbugs during all
sen SOUS.
The lower city is built in Italian stylo, light but ele-
gant. The houses are mostly two-story, built with large 1
adobe bricks, as more solid construction is inadvisable
on account of the many earthquakes, which have left
their marks on nearly every building, by large and small
cracks. The upper story is generally provided with an
extensive balcony, running the full length of the house
and having elegantly stained-glass windows; and on the
east side of the city, where the beach fonns a beautiful
valley, we find the houses built like squares and the in-
10
146 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
side court converted into pretty little gardens which
look like jewel boxes. The streets— this term is only
applicable to the lower city— are partly paved with
stones, though the sidewalks have cement paving, and
others are badly or not at all graded, as is the only plaza
in Valparaiso. Only the most important business streets
have lights.
When the Spaniards founded Valparaiso amidst green
mountains, the name " Valley of Paradise" was prob-
ably well chosen, but now— it is called thus inappropri-
ately. The surrounding hills at present merely show
naked, red rocks, covered here and there with desert
weeds, intermixed with large cacti, presenting an un-
usually sad view, as the eye can nowhere rest upon a
spot of agricultural beauty, nay, not even a tree. Trees
are only to be found in the scattered gardens of the east
side. Of fruit trees we see mostly olives, figs, peaches
and apricots but rarely apple and plum trees. All of
them bear already pretty large fruits, which are ripen-
ing rapidly. There are many beautiful summer-houses
of roses and vines, together with those of passion flow-
ers and other climbers, which are now in full bloom.
One can pick roses all the year round, fresh from the
bushes.
As far as amusements are concerned one finds Val-
paraiso to be an American city, i. e., the like is not
known here. The first glance upon the topography of
the place shows clearly that whoever goes about in these
streets is not seeking pleasure but hard cash. There-
fore Valparaiso has only one theater and one large pub-
lic garden (Apolanco) where they have concerts on Sim-
days; this resort, however, has not nearly the size of the
"Exchange Garden" in Konigsberg.
The busy life in the harbor affords me more pleasure
than that on shore. I therefore have remained most of
my time of late on board, in order to watch the fun.
Particularly beautiful is the sight on Sundays of the
many merchant and other vessels when all masts carry
their gay flags— English, Brazilian, immense Dutch
THE OCEAN VOYAGE 147
three-mast vessels, small Chilean schooners, Hamburg,
Peruvian, Italian, North American, Spanish, French,
Bolivian, Danish, Swedish, Liibeck and Prussian vessels
are there in gayest mixture. The farthest from shore
are the warships, a North American, an English, a
Chilean and a Spanish Fregatta, two Chilean and a
French gunboat, all stationed here; besides these I have
seen in port during our stay a French 24-gun man-of-
war, an English fregatta with 56 cannon and a steam
corvette of the same flag. The American man-of-war is
a magnificent new vessel with 62 guns. On board of the
latter and of the English boat are bands of music which
delight us every night with really fine concerts; they
play mostly well known airs, European dances, among
which 1 heard to my great surprise the ''Flora Gallop."
These melodies can be heard far away in the pure, calm
night air of the quiet harbor until the thundering of the
batteries from the war vessels and the returns from the
beach announce the ninth hour. Suddenly everything
stops, silence reigns; not a boat glides over the waters
of the bay, which plainly shows the outlines of the dark,
silent ships resting upon its mirrored, placid bosom.
Only here and there, may be seen a lonely light, which
throws its ray through a narrow window of some cabin.
Fairy-like is the appearance of the city after dark— a
sea of lights ascending in terraces and zigzags along the
dark, bare mountains.
During our stay we have had so far two earthquakes
and one revolution. The first earthquake was so insig-
nificant that I never noticed it, while I became quite
conscious of the second one. It took place on Sunday,
October 26th, at 6:15 p. m. I was on board, sitting on a
bench in the deck tent. The shock raised me a few
inches from the bench and its noise may be likened to
the rattling of a dropping anchor chain of a large ves-
sel. Our ship actually trembled for several minutes.
The revolution was more serious. You will probably
have received news of it in Europe and I do not doubt
that the details of causes of the outbreak of October 28th
148 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
have been given better than I could if I attempted the
task. As usual, the day was warm, bright and pleas-
ant, and there was absolutely nothing that could forbode
an extraordinary occurrence, until the rumor gained
credence that insurgents had surprised the regulars and
taken possession of about one thousand guns, a few
light weapons and ammunition. This occurred at four
o'clock. Regulars and militia were at once called in, and
the lively street fight began at half past four in the lower
city. Small firing was commenced in all seriousness on
either side and continued until six o'clock, when the
"crusaderos"* had to vacate the barracks which they had
previously taken and they slowly retired into their caves
and hiding-places of the upper-town. The fight grew
now very serious as larger fire-arms had to be put into
use on either side, which, however, enabled the regulars
to gain but little territory. Meanwhile it became evident
that the "crusaderos" had few or no leaders, as they re-
tired slowly toward the fortress which protects the har-
bor-entrance, thereby coming, about eight o'clock, within
reach of the big guns, which caused them to disband rap-
idly.
The men-of-war remained absolutely quiet, only send-
ing a few boats full of armed men ashore for the protec-
tion of their respective consulates. About five o'clock
the English man-of-war got up steam, and weighed one
of its anchors and the other English vessel towed in or-
der to turn its batteries to face the city. Lanterns ap-
peared in the evening along the deck-side, where the can-
non stood. The night passed quietly with the exception
of the plundering of a small arsenal on the east-side of
the city.
My private opinion is, that peace will not be of long
duration even if La Monte would be able to defeat the
"crusaderos" completely, which, according to some, is
already an accomplished fact. The hatred of the lower
classes is too great.
*"Los Crusados," followers of Crnces, the rebel candidate for
President.
THE OCEAN VOYAGE 119
Since we are at anchor in this harbor, already three
vessels with state-prisoners have left for the Strait of
Magellan, where Chile possesses a colony for criminals,
called "Fort Famine," and the rumor has gained cre-
dence, that the insurgent-prisoners, who arc mostly sen-
tenced to five or ten years of deportation, have simply
been shot as soon as the vessel reached high seas. Neither
do I consider this charge unreasonable, as I have been
an involuntary witness of a transport of eight corpses,
which fishermen found last Monday (day before yester-
day) in the Bay not far from shore, all with stones, at-
tached to the neck by ropes. These were recognized as
members of the band of insurgents who had evidently
been drowned to make short process with the prisoners.
Such deeds are enough to arouse the cooler blooded:
how much more the hot-headed Chilean. If, however,
the excitement were only headed against La Monte and
the ruling party, the foreigners could watch the whole
matter quietly, but that is not the case. The lower classes
hate the English and the Germans unto death, and I am
convinced that they are only awaiting an opportunity in
order to give vent to their hatred. It has come to the
point that no foreigner dares to go after dark to the up-
per-town, except in company and well armed; even the
less frequented streets of the lower-town are not consid-
ered safe. This state of affairs cannot possibly last long
and, until complete order will have been restored, I shall
advise nobody to emigrate to Chile, particularly if it be
hiB intention to settle in the interior. Matters will un-
doubtedly be carried to a very dangerous point. The
hatred against the English (and the natives seem unable
to distinguish between English and Germans) has been
fanned anew by a very queer incident. A few weeks ago
it occurred that a partisan of Cruces of Coquimbo took
possession of a small steamer, belonging to La Monte.
As the latter could not possibly s^ot hold of it again, he de-
clared it outlawed. The English frigate ''Thesis" hap-
pened to be stationed in Coquimbo and undertook to profit
by the announcement by forcibly taking possession of
150 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
the steamer, and after forcibly taking it from the "Cru-
cists" they, the English, brought it hither to Valparaiso
under protection of the English flag and cannon.
Under existing circumstances there is no possibility of
obtaining employment here in the near future, as busi-
ness and traffic in general are as dull as we experienced
them at home in the year 1848. I shall therefore go to
San Francisco, contenting myself for a while with steer-
age-meals and tea, quietly awaiting what the future may
have in store for me. It is true that one does not hear
California affairs well spoken of, but almost every Ger-
man here who has spent more or less time in San Fran-
cisco assures me from his own observation that perse-
verance, thrift and luck will still enable one to lay some-
thing aside. The circumstances in which my informants
are living bear witness to the truth of these assertions.
Not one of them has returned from there empty-handed
and many of them did not hesitate to say that they had
wasted time and spent much money foolishly.
Thus I ask you not to believe for one moment that I
have lost my courage; on the contrary, I feel quite well,
and ready to bear all the burdens of a life of work, as I
have it undoubtedly before me. More than ever before do
I understand the value of health and work; as I re-
gained possession of the former after waiting a long, long
time and have missed the latter for nearly half a year.
Do not worry; I shall make my way. America is a coun-
try after my taste.
The ''Aurora," on board of which I shall continue my
voyage, is a small, low, black brig, which goes under the
flag of Hamburg. With the exception of the meals, to
which I become quite accustomed, we shall make a change
for the better, which will be specially true of the quarters
on the "Aurora" as compared with those of the Victoria.
The Aurora has no steerage and we shall therefore be
lodged in one of the large and cosy quarters on deck,
where the accommodations will be just as elegant and
Comfortable and even cooler and more airy than the cab-
ins.
THE OCEAN VOYAGE 151
It has cost us quite a fight to manage the continuance
of our voyage on the "Aurora." Poppe, the agent of
Godefroy (Hamburg) had flatly refused me the privilege
of sailing with this vessel and declared in an insolent
manner that he would ship us when and in whatever
class of vessel he might see fit ; and that we were not to
have any say in the matter. That was a little too much
for me, moreover, as I had found out that it was his inten-
tion to place us on board of a small Chilean vessel, which
was to go to San Francisco at the beginning of Decem-
ber; it carries steerage passengers and is said to have
engaged already eighty berths. I then gave Poppe a
piece of my mind and complained at once to Hallmann
(the Consul of Bremen, to whom Oswald had recommend-
ed me), to Uhde and Hunecken (the Hamburg Consul,
upon Bartsch's suggestion), and to the Prussian Consul.
This caused some noise, which evidently scared Poppe to
some extent, as I received the announcement of our pas-
sage on the "Aurora" two days later. I now hasten to
the close of my letter by giving you an idea of the
weather which we found in sailing around the Cape. We
received news from Terra del Fuego since we came here
and the report refers to several vessels which we met
there in September last, and is rather sad. An English
three-master and a bark are in San Carlos, the former
minus masts and leaking, and the latter without sails and
fore-mast. A Danish bark is at anchor in Ancud on ac-
count of damage on palisades and rigging; both ports
mentioned are on the Chiloe islands. A large Dutch ves-
sel is in dock at Corral on account of severe leakage and
loss of bowsprit, boats and rigging. In Coquimbo and
Copiapo are likewise ships awaiting repairs, which have
suffered considerably. Nearly all ships which arrived
later than we in Valparaiso have suffered more or less
damage, with the single exception of the Hamburg brig
"Sarah," which passed the Cape at the beginning of < Oc-
tober with good weather in three days. The brig of
"Apenrade" has not yet arrived. It was owing to a mis-
understanding on my part that I announced her arrival
152 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
in my last letter; it is said that she has lost bowsprit, fore-
mast, etc., and is now in Copiapo.
Good bye! Do not worry about me. It is unnecessary
to tell you that I send many, many hearty greetings to all
my loved ones. All who love me will forever and ever be
dear to me!
The enclosure is for you, dear Father. As this letter
will only leave on the 26th, I shall keep it until the last
moment in order to be able to add a P. S. in case some-
thing of interest should turn up, and to let you know when
we shall be ready to sail. The promised sketch is en-
closed.
With sincere love,
Your
(Signed) FRANZ LECOUVREUR.
P. S.— On board of the Hamburg Brig "Aurora," Capt.
Mildenstein.
Port Valparaiso, November 15th, 1851.
Since the transfer of our baggage on the 12th inst. we
lived partly on the "Aurora," partly on the "Victoria."
Beginning with to-day we are completely installed on the
"Aurora." The vessel is heavy laden according to Amer-
ican ideas, but 1 hope that we may have a quick voyage,
as the "Aurora" is said to be an unusually fleet sail-boat;
we also expect to have good winds. We are to take some
more freight to-day and set sail to-morrow— Sunday.
Franz Hallmann has given me two letters of recommenda-
tion, one to Wm. Meyer & Co. and the other to Heymann
Fingshorn & Co., San Francisco. Ulide and Tlunecken
likewise promised me one, which I hope to receive to-day.
There will be several fellow-passengers, outside of my
seven acquaintances from the "Victoria," and a lady
passenger, Mrs. Mutzenbecher, from Hamburg; some of
the former will occupy cabins and some deck-quarters.
Up to this hour I have seen none of them. There are said
to be two Chilean senoras, mother and daughter, likewise
an American (Yankee) and wife. I am glad of that, as I
shall thereby have a chance to perfect my knowledge of
THE OCEAN VOYAGE
English and Spanish. The latter language is not hard,
neither the grammar nor the vocabulary, and 1 hope to
master it fairly well by the time we reacli San Francisco.
It will be necessary to draw the enclosed sketch upon
a card. I did it, too, and was enabled to get a real and
correct view of our voyage. By it yon will sec our route
has been very crooked. Our course has been very eccenl ric.
Our trip around the Cape looks almost like a chess-puzzle.
If you desire to get a sailor's view of the sketch, you will
have to mark upon the map every point mentioned and
then join these points by straight lines. I hope that this
letter may reacli you by the middle of January of the
coming year (1852), perhaps even before grandfather's
birthday, whom it may find in the old, happy frame of
mind and the old indestructible health. However, I am
somewhat worried as to the fate of this letter, as it will
have to remain here till the 2Gth inst. I shall take it to
Hallmann and shall use all my fluency of speech so as to
make sure that it will not be forgotten when mail-time
comes.
If everything goes well you may expect my next letter
within eight or ten weeks, from San Francisco.
Am I to hope for a letter from you on my arrival there ?
Your
FKANZ.
LETTEB NO. VI
Sunday, January 11th, 1852.
On Board the Hamburg Brigg "Aurora,"
Capt. Mildenstein, 36° 11' N. Latitude, 126°
1 W. Longitude, coast of California.
My Beloved Ones:— This is the birth-day anniversary
of my own dear sister Marie, and could it possibly be cel-
ebrated by me more worthily than by entertaining you
all with an account of my last voyage?
I presume that you have come into possession of my
letters dated the twenty-sixth of October and twenty-
sixth of November a. p., which I mailed by the respective
Panama steamers long ago.
One cannot imagine anything more })leasant than my
trip from Valparaiso hither. The weather favored us
so remarkably that my diary contains but three records
of slight inclemencies, whilst at the same time it describes
the magnificent effect which the tropical sun had upon
the quiet, cooling waters, which were scarcely interrupt-
ed by disturbing winds. We really could have made the
trip in an open boat, without running any more risk to
our safety than in one of the largest vessels. But this
was not the only agreeable side of our trip, which in re-
ality proved by far preferable to that made on board the
Victoria. Intentionally I avoided saying to you in my
early letters that our meals on the last named vessel were
— to put it mildly — abominable. The quantity was just
sufficient to keep a fellow alive, particularly during the
last few weeks, when the inclemency of the weather made
the want of nutritious food the more perceptible. Indeed
the preparation of our food corresponded to its miserable
quality. Not a thimbleful of fat ever found its way into
the meals, and the hard, old peas and beans, with occa-
154
ON BOARD THE "AURORA" 155
sionally a grain of rice or barley, were often swimming
in clear water— half-cooked. However, I never com-
plained about the miserable grub, and would, if it had
been necessary, have taken it without grumbling all the
way to San Francisco, as I have neither been a great
eater, nor a Lucullus, at any time. Quantity and quality
never worry me, as, thanks to my early training, my taste
has never been spoiled. With all that, however, I could
not help noticing and acknowledging the great difference
in treatment there and here. Indeed, I do not believe
that many ocean travellers can boast of such a spread as
we have on board the "Aurora." Our dinner consists of
potatoes and good meat in abundance : and coffee and tea
are likewise of very good quality. Instead of bad, rancid
butter for cooking purposes, we receive as much good
lard as we care to use. During the fore-noon, at about
ten o'clock, and again at half-past two in the afternoon,
each of us receives a drink of cognac to stimulate the ap-
petite for the regular meals. Another most agreeable
feature is the daily distribution of large loaves of wheat
bread about tea-time, the product of our good cook's in-
dustry. As the flour has given out, we receive now po-
tatoes instead, all of which are additional items which the
Captain is by no means obliged by the prescribed bill of
fare to furnish, and, though seemingly secondary, they
are greatly appreciated on the open sea. Aside from
this, we may drink as much fresh water as we have a mind
to. As I told you in my last letter, there is also as marked
a difference in our sleeping accommodations as in the
food. If my present frame of mind would harmonize bet-
ter with the better surroundings and accommodations, I
should surely be spoiled; but, as it is, all these circum-
stances, which in the end are only pleasing to the body,
have little effect upon my mind in general. I mention
these external improvements only to give yon pleasure,
knowing full well how you will regard the information
that I am well cared for.
As expected, we left Valparaiso on Sunday, the six-
teenth of November, a. p, At about five o'clock in the
156 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
morning we began to weigh anchor, while the church-
bells were inviting the faithful to early mass. There are
many magnificent churches in all South-American cities,
and Valparaiso is also well supplied. By half-past ten we
started on our voyage, passing the light-house half-an-
hour later, with a light South wind, while the weather
was perfectly beautiful. A Chilean three-master and the
large Hamburg "Johannis Marie" left the harbor at the
same time. It is truly astonishing how many Hamburg
vessels one encounters everywhere: the merchant-marine
of the old Hansa-town is evidently as well represented
on the Pacific as on the Atlantic ocean. Toward one
o'clock we set lee-sails and made no change whatever
until the nineteenth of the month, when the bram and
lee-sails had to be laid by. Think of it, nine days with-
out changing sails! This will serve you as evidence of
the magnificent weather and favorable winds which we
enjoyed. Hardly had we gone to sea, however, when
someone discovered that the old "Aurora" had sprung
a leak, which caused an inflow of about fourteen inches
of water per watch. "One watch," in sailor parlance,
means four hours of duty, or one shift. Of course, we
passengers began to worry a little, but the uneasiness
was soon overcome, when we became convinced that the
leakage did not increase. There was not, however, any
additional influx of water near the pumps. Though the
danger from the leak seemed very small, it nevertheless
became the cause of two very disagreeable features, which
we did not meet with on board of the "Victoria." The
pumping to' begin with, caused a barbaric noise, which,
being repeated every two hours, day and night, became
a constant bar to the sleep of nervously inclined passen-
gers. Much more troublesome than the pumping were,
in my estimation, the countless bed-bugs and rats, which
latter, in particular, paid us nightly visits in our bunks.
Imagine our joy !
There was consternation among our passengers when
it became known shortly after leaving the port of Val-
paraiso that we had a goodly load of gun-powder on
ON HOARD THE "AURORA" 151
hoard; it made some of us foci rather uncomfortable.
This powder, in all one hundred and sixty-two kegs of
twenty-five pounds each, was enough to blow ten liners
into splinters. It was part of the freight which I men-
tioned in letter No. 10, as being ready for shipment.
Though 1 knew the nature of the cargo then as well as I
do today, I withheld the information from you hecause
you would otherwise have had powder-dreams day and
night, and would, perhaps, have pictured to yourselves
my fiery ascension into Heaven, somewhat alter the meth-
od of the prophet Elias, of Holy Writ. The worst of it
is that these kegs of powder were knocked about wherev-
er there appeared a little space between the other freight,
principally under the cabin and front-steerage— two
places where light and smoking is a constant menace,
particularly on account of the cracks and holes in the
flooring, through which the kegs may be seen, and, in
places, even lie felt. As you may fancy, this challenged,
at first, a good deal of my courage and caused me to think
of Bontekoe, Cook and the Flying Dutchman, especially
when the sailors commenced to throw those kegs around
carelessly, whenever they were looking for tools, iron,
chains, or whatever they happened to be in immediate
need of, and that generally finds its way into the cable-
hatch. Even right near the fire-place one can see ten to
fifteen barrels piled up at times, simply to temporarily
facilitate the search of something or other in the hatch
below. Fortunately for the sensitive looker-on this pro-
verbial carelessness of the tars has a contagious and
soothing effect upon the many, as one hardly thinks of
disastrous possibilities after a while, though we might
have been sent on a flight through space more than once,
and without the least warning or preparation for the
journey. There would not have been as much as a de-
tailed report, though the facts, if known, might have
caused more excitement than did the appearance of the
Lord in the burning bush, in the ancient Hebrew days.
It is well-known thai the apprentices on our men-of-war
handle the powder-kegs, which caused those hoys to he
158 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
nick-named * ' powder-monkeys. ' ' In the end, our old Ger-
man proverb: "Everything is a matter of digestion,"
plays the trump in this case especially.
The immense surface of the South-sea is rarely visited
by any but so-called trade-winds, Monsoons, which blow
with an unsurpassed evenness and always in the same
direction, no matter what zone they happen to strike, only
being here and there interrupted by playful coursing
breezes. One is thus enabled to make pretty close calcu-
lations as to the probable duration of the trip through
these regions, provided the ship is in experienced hands,
who know how to utilize the Monsoon realms to greatest
advantage. We left these regions on Wednesday, the
nineteenth of November, and placed ourselves therefore
out of reach of those winds, which, if you recollect, had
also been our companions during the trip from Valdivia
to Valparaiso. We soon experienced changes after bid-
ding farewell to the Cape-pigeons, which had been our
faithful followers since the time when we passed the Rio
de la Plata. A strong Southeast breeze made us realize
the change very quickly. Our deck was covered with
gulf-swallows, little greyish-brown birds about as large
as our crows; they have white breasts and black tails and
wing-tips. Toward five o'clock on Thursday afternoon,
sailing West half-North, we caught sight of the islands
Ombrosio and San Feliz which disappeared from our
horizon again in less than half an hour. Though the day
happened to be exceedingly clear these islands appeared
and disappeared like small blue clouds. Sunday, the
twenty-third, we felt a mild East Monsoon with light rain,
but not until the twenty-fifth could the wind be utilized,
as we experienced on Monday, the twenty-fourth, our
first complete calm. I suppose this announcement will
give you the third fright during this reading. I count
this the third because I fancy that the word "leak" has
caused the first scare and the "powder-shipment" must
have given you the second fright; am I not right? But
it is in reality a much less serious matter than people are
ordinarily led to believe. Many fables have been told us
ON BOARD THE "AURORA" 159
about the dreadful calms on the Pacific Ocean. My de-
scription of the trade winds will already have informed
you that things arc not as bad as the writers of sensa-
tional stories would have you to believe. Prolonged, and
actually death- like calms are only noticeable along the
coast and particularly between Callao (sea-port of Lima)
and Mazatlan; the islands between Panama and the Gal-
lopagos, too, are frequently visited by these calms, which,
on occasions, will last for weeks, a good reason why sail-
ing vessels are seldom seen in those waters; they are
slimmed by all who do not have business in those regions.
The afore-mentioned calm happened on one of my per-
sonal holidays and lasted till evening. A strong East
Monsoon enabled us thereafter to continue our voyage
uninterruptedly until the nineteenth of December, which
means fully twenty-four days, accompanied by the most
delightful, mild weather. Though the air is much purer
and clearer here than under the same degrees of tropical
latitude in the Atlantic, the heat is not nearly as over-
powering, and hardly ever exceeds our ordinary sum-
mer's heat at home. The reason for this may be found in
the fact that we are sailing along the coast, which, being
very mountainous, protects the ocean for miles from the
approaching sun while on the Atlantic the unprotected
vessel is exposed to the tropical heat from which even
the coast, being West of the traveller, cannot possibly
offer any amelioration. We seldom noticed cloudy at-
mosphere until after sun-set, which latter was ordinarily
beautifully clear. And yet we must not lose sight of the
fact that, at the time indicated, the proper advent of win-
ter had, according to the dictates of "Grandma's calen-
dar," still three days of grace. I hardly remember hav-
ing had such marvelously clear nights at any time dur-
ing the crossing of the Atlantic, though I find among my
notes a similar mention on the thirty-first of July a. p.
Nothing can be compared to Nature's Panorama in the
South-Sea; no human description can faithfully portray
the magnificence of the scene which the immense, purple,
rayless fire-ball— the sun — offers to the naked eye as it
ICO EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
slowly glides down the horizon of the un-measurable
waters, the bottomless depth of which appears still more
awe-inspiring on account of the profound silence, which
everywhere prevails. Even the fleetest-winged powers of
imagination— such as only truly poetical souls possess—
cannot fully do justice to so grand, and yet so melancholy
a spectacle. I often felt the tears come into my eyes,
without knowing the cause. Even the wind seems to pay
his last respects before the majesty of the setting sun as
it invariably stops its course for just a few minutes, the
moment the last spark of the immense fire-disk has dis-
appeared in the ocean. This unusually clear sun-set, how-
ever, is not the only proof of the extraordinary transpar-
ency of the air in these regions, for the circumstance
which enables the naked eye to observe the moon along-
side of the noon-day sun, is assuredly another not less to
be underrated. As the light breeze was unable to ruffle
the ocean, we seldom observed foam-crowned waves and,
had it not been for the occasional upheaving, or swell, as
it rolled from the South, and only disappears altogether
as we approached the Equator, we could, in reality, have
mistaken the bottomless sea for a vast pond. The up-
heaving I just mentioned, reaches a height of from six to
eight feet and a width of about eight hundred feet, while
it is often several miles long, dimensions which, by far,
out-measure the swells of the Atlantic, which, at the
time, surprised me greatly. While the South Sea appears
more imposing as regards the immensity of the waves,
it cannot compare with the beauties of the Atlantic as
far as the coloring of the water is concerned. As I have
mentioned in an earlier letter, the Atlantic Ocean has a
magnificent dark blue color, while the South Sea, though
clear as crystal, is of a much paler and more greenish
hue. The brilliancy of the surface shines forth more
beautifully in the Pacific than on the other side of the
American continent and what has particularly attracted
my attention is a certain lightning in the water which
often causes a momentary flash-light of bluish or reddish
shade, covering at times a space of many feet in dimen-
sion.
OX BOARD THE "AURORA" 161
On the twentieth of December, we passed an immense
school of fin-fish, the whole surface, as far as the eye
could reach, was literally covered with them; again, now
and then a shark or a dolphin would break the monotony,
but beyond that we met no different species from those I
described as inhabiting the Atlantic Ocean, namely: boni-
tos, porpoises, and numberless flying-fish— of which we
kept one or two dead ones on deck for quite a while. Soon
after leaving Valparaiso we saw two whales at a great
distance, but not one has since come within our view.
Birds have been our constant companions. The faithful
cape-pigeons had been replaced by the gulf-swallows,
which, in turn, had been succeeded by so-called tropical
birds, which are now followed by California wild-geese,
large, dark-brown birds, in shape resembling the alba-
tross, but much larger and stronger in build— probably
Pelicans. After several fruitless trials we managed to
catch a few, one of which measured no less than eight feet
ten inches from tip to tip, and whose dark blue beak
proved to be over five inches wide, while the claws were
fully six inches in length.
Ships have been rather scarce on our trip, as we have
met only four so far, which makes one feel rather lone-
some on the wide, wide ocean. Saturday, the twenty-
ninth of November, we sighted a large Danish schooner,
heavy laden and South-bound; the Tuesday following, we
passed within two miles of an empty full-master, under
short sails, steering in Northeastern direction. Seeing
only top-sails, three (mars, cleaver and lee), we con-
cluded that this mysterious vessel must be a coursing
whaler. I passed the Equator the second time during
the night of the fourteenth-fifteenth of December a. p.
The night was clear and beautiful, the wind steady but
mild, so that we passed the line with lee-sails laid-by.
And then came Tuesday, the sixteenth, your ever remem-
bered birthday, beloved mother, and in chronological
succession, my second holiday since leaving Valparaiso.
You will be wondering how I celebrated it. .hist like the
other holiday during my trip; 1 smoked one cigar more
11
162 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
than usual and observed strict silence all day in order to
enjoy a visit— if only in imagination— to the beloved ones
at home, and to you, blessed mother, in particular. About
sun-rise I was walking up and down in the deck-house,
with shirt-sleeves rolled-up, a light straw-hat, and my
bare feet modestly hidden in slippers, while the slowly ap-
pearing sun's-rays glistened in the mirror-like water. I
could not help thinking how you would have enjoyed
watching me through a magic mirror, if such a thing were
possible. On such days, during such moments, I feel
happy and contented ; home seems nearer and I fancy my-
self present in the circle of those whom I love so dearly!
and among my few true friends! Yes, there seems to be
an inner voice calling out to me every now and then:
' ' Fear not ! you will be happy, happy in your home. ' ' In
such moments I feel untold joy. But I suppose I must
say: away with such delusions, the old enemy will have
many a chance to put stumbling-blocks in my way when-
ever he may have a mind to do so.*
On the nineteenth of December we had Eastwind with
rain, which the experienced sailor regards as a sure sign
that the trade-winds will soon cease. The sea showed
heavy swells from the Northeast, so that the lee-sails
were set during the evening, which was, in reality, the
first material change made since we left Valparaiso.
Later in the evening we had brilliant lightning in the
northeast, which made the Heavens appear as though
on fire, though not the least sound was heard. Saturday,
the twentieth, was the first day with northern trade-
winds, but, notwithstanding the increasing severity, the
weather remained otherwise unchanged. Toward seven
o'clock in the evening, top-sails had to be set, and they
remained that way until Monday, the twenty-second, as
no material change in weather occurred. That night,
*And yet, how true was this presentiment ; though many were
the hardships, which our young traveller had to overcome, the
reward for his ever onward struggle was attained at last. The
"Happy Home," for which he longed, was to be his in due time,
as Providence measures it. — Translator.
ON BOARD THE "AURORA" 163
however, the wind turned toward North and grew strong-
er. The days which followed this change brought us
considerable work on board, as sai.ls had to be changed
back and forth on account of the variable winds. But
Wednesday, the twenty-fourth of December, Christmas
Eve., a severe N. N. E. wind set in and compelled us to
strengthen the mars-sails. The sea rose high, but our ves-
sel was too well laden and too well built to be in any way
greatly disturbed by the whistling, whirling winds; and
the hot punch and pancakes with which our good ( laptain
treated us, in due commemoration of the day, were so
well received that we scarcely thought of our watery
road-bed, but enjoyed the celebration as if we bad been on
shore. Was I happy? No! Not I. Notwithstanding the
general merriment, I could not enter into the spirit of the
hour, and was glad when everybody had retired, as it en-
abled me to spend an hour undisturbed, promenading up
and down the deck, accompanied only by the faithful
friend — my cigar. Watching the floating wave-forms
carry the glittering lights which appeared and disap-
peared like ghostly jack-o-lanterns upon the black roar-
ing sea, had such a soothing effect upon my mind that I
sought the mattress sooner than I had anticipated. My
dreams, however, did the work, for they carried me home,
where holiday-bells were inviting the God-fearing peo-
ple to Divine Service.
The weather during the two Christmas holidays was
as beautiful and warm as one could possibly desire. Even
the sea behaved well, with the one exception, that a heavy
down-pour which came from the North, was permitted to
disturb our equanimity for a few minutes. One experi-
ences these down-pours throughout the Pacific from the
twelfth to the fifteenth degree of Northern latitude to
Behring-Strait all the year round, 1 am told. Until the
last day of the year we sailed with good steady North-
Eastern winds and we had nice, clear weather and nothing
extraordinary to relate. The thirty-first— Sylvester day
—brought us another complete calm, while the air was
rather sultry. We amused ourselves most of the day by
164 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
fishing for so-called ' ' boatsmen. " These little animals
resemble the Nautilus; they have an oval flat body, gelat-
inous in substance, and are more than two inches in
diameter; they carry what appears at a distance to be a
sail, transparent like glass and shaped like the wing of a
butterfly. This sail, their only means of locomotion, is
placed exactly like the yard-sail of a ship and indeed
these strange mollusks will never be found heading the
wind, but always gliding alongside. We have seen these
animals at times in enormous numbers, almost covering
the surface of the sea as far as the naked eye could reach.
Birds of prey and fish do not seem to harm them, for they
are protected by a poisonous, slimy substance, the very
touch of which will cause a painful swelling of the fingers.
About noon, we had a light breeze from the South-South-
East, which disappeared with the sun, and a deathlike
calm prevailed throughout the night. The -air became
as quiet as the breath of a sleeping child. It was my
"Sylvester night," during which I could give audience
to my thoughts till three o'clock in the morning without
being disturbed. Head and heart ran the race, now tak-
ing past, now future subjects, for their temporary med-
itation. Meanwhile I found delightful and yet cynical
pleasure, when a breath of reasoning would blow to ashes
the frail, yet beautiful air-castles which the heart and an
imaginative mind had luxuriously erected in the sandy
desert of an uncertain future. However, they generally
were quickly rebuilt and joyfully accepted by their san-
guine architects, while old reason planned another dis-
aster for them. Thus it went on and would have gone
on indefinitely had not all three grown sleepy in the long-
vigil. But no sooner had I closed my eyes than I com-
menced dreaming of Home. Dear, joyous pictures pass
in review, and again I recognized the play of my evening-
companions, those merry goblins, but especially the un-
avoidable, un-tiring teaser, my own heart.
Beginning with the first of this month we have had
quite a change of wind, at times very brisk Southwest
or Southeast breezes, which continued till the fourth, and
ON BOARD THE "AURORA" 165
caused the weather to be at times bright; at other times
cool and cloudy. On Saturday, the third, we passed the
American steamer, "Constitution," within speaking dis-
tance. She was sailing Westward, coming from San Fran-
cisco and bound for the Sandwich Islands. During the
night following there happened a little accident on board
our ship which could easily have caused serious trouble.
A sudden squall of wind accompanied by heavy rain,
which surprised us about midnight, broke the rudder-
tackle. Fortunately the squall, which had not come very
forcibly upon us, grew slowly weaker, or we otherwise
might have lost several sails and masts, owing to the cir-
cumstances which made it impossible to handle the rud-
der until the damage could be repaired. You may be sure
that we spent a very anxious hour of uncertainty. Sun-
day, the fourth, brought us another calm, which lasted
from one o'clock in the afternoon until noon of the
Wednesday following, when a light breeze arose from the
Northwest. During all this time the air was warm; we
drifted along, while everything around us remained in
death-like silence, which was only interrupted by an oc-
casional breath of air from the South or Southeast, hardly
causing any motion of our ship. The sixth of January, at
about nine p. m., we observed a complete eclipse of the
moon, which was made very clear by the cloudless sky.
The night was so mild that I patroled the deck in shirt-
sleeves. Pretty good for January, is it not? As before
mentioned, we enjoyed a delightful Northwest breeze
during the afternoon of the seventh and had already made
up our minds that we were soon to greet the Northwest-
ern trade wind, but fancy our dismay, as it turned North-
northwest; and when evening came we found ourselves
under a strong North breeze. The air grew rough and
decidedly unpleasant and a real cold fog limited our view
considerably so that we were almost unable to look ahead
more than shipslength. To our great delight we expe-
rienced another, more favorable change the following
evening, even though it was but another calm. We have
since then more or less warm weather with light South
166 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
West winds and calms. The day before yesterday we no-
ticed during the afternoon several sharks in our wake
and within an hour's time, we had succeeded in catching
no less than three of them, two of which were about four
feet in length, while one measured fully seven feet. They
were of the less dangerous kind, so-called, blue-sharks.
Though these are fully as greedy as their relatives, the
ground and shuffle-sharks, they are much lazier and dis-
like fast swimming; though they are well able to move
slowly, a good swimmer can easily out-do them, pro-
vided, he has no more than one at his heels. One of the
little fellows was fried for supper. The taste is somewhat
similar to that of the laddock (shellfish), though one
cannot eat as much of it, and he must be very careful in
partaking of fish at sea, I am told, on account of the seri-
ous stomach troubles and vomiting which generally fol-
low, no matter what kind of fish he indulges in. This
forenoon we had another calm and were enveloped in a
heavy fog which reminded me of the familiar Baltic sum-
mer fogs. Since noon the air has cleared considerably
and at present we enjoy a light Northern breeze, which
sends us slowly toward our destination. I am in the best
of hopes that my travels may terminate in a few days,
and dare say that, considering all, it has been a lucky voy-
age, of which the last part has proved particularly agree-
able, though as a whole ours has not been a very fast
trip. More from San Francisco. Good bye for the pres-
ent. Your
FRANZ.
Note by Translator. — The reader will probably remember that
young Mr. Lecouvreur mentioned in one of his former letters the
enclosure of an exact nautical record, covering the voyage to
Valparaiso. Whether this document was lost or mislaid, the
translator is unable to say, and he has had to content himself with
a reproduction of a few notes, found in one of the neatly-kept
diaries which, like everything else that the noble pioneer under-
took, are a lasting proof of his uncommon exactness, as well as
an enduring record of a useful life. Here is a transcription of
the notes found :
NAUTICAL REPORT 167
c
Days
Left Konigsberg, Baltic Sea, April 25-6 2
Stettin, Sunda) , April 27th 1
Berlin, April 28-9 2
Berlin-I [amburg, April 30th 1
Hamburg from May 1st to June 1st 32
Altogether 38
On board of the "Victoria" —
Hamburg Harbor, June 2d, to 4th 3
On the River Elbe, June 5th to nth 7
In the North Sea, June 12th t< 1 1 7th 6
In the Canal, June 18th to 21st 4
In the Bay of Biscaya, June 22(1 to 26th 5
63
In the Atlantic from June 27th to Wednesday, Sept. 17th,
1851 • 83
In the South Sea from Sept. [8th to Oct 8th 20
In the Harbor of Corral, Chile, Oct. 9~i8th 10
From Corral to Valparaiso Oct. 19-2 1 st 3
In Valparaiso Harbor, from October 22d to Nov. 15th ,24
On board of the "Aurora" —
From Valparaiso, to San Francisco, Sunday, Nov. if>th to
Thursday. Jan. 15th, 1852 60
According to which record the whole trip from Konigsberg, East
Prussia to San Francisco, California, was made in two hundred
and sixty-three days.
At the end of the letter, dated January the 1 ith, I find the fol-
lowing nautical record, covering the trip from Valparaiso to
California, lacking but a few days, to make it complete; the next
letter, however, contains the detailed description of that missing
period. The existence of a record covering the second half of
his trip, leaves no doubt that the methodical author had previously
drawn up the now missing document. But let us peruse, what we
have before us :
Nautical Record of the trip made on board of the Hamburg
Brigg "Aurora," Capt. Mildenstein, from Valparaiso, Chile, to
San Francisco, California. November 185 1 to January, 1852, A. D.
185 T.
Nov. 16 — Leave Harbor of Valparaiso at eleven A. M. Beau-
tiful weather and light south wind prevailing.
Nov. 17 — South wind, mild, little cloudv.
Nov. 18— 75 4' W. L. 28 33' Lat. Fresh south wind. Good
weather.
163 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
Nov. 19 — South wind, fine weather.
Nov. 20 — At 5 P. M. Ambrosio and Felix isles, to the right,
southward at about five miles distant. Wind S. E. — fine.
Nov. 21 — Very light southeast, nice weather.
Nov. 22— 84 ° 11' \V. L. 22 57' Lat.— Continued light S. E.
Nov. 23 — Light east wind, cool, rainy.
Nov. 24 — 87 43' W. L. 22 34' Lat. Calm, warm but moist.
Nov. 2S — Very light E. S. E., fine weather.
Nov. 26— 91 ° 26' W. L. 20 43' Br. Wind E. S. E. Beautiful
weather.
Nov. 27 — Wind E. S. E., fine weather.
Nov. 28 — 95 21' W. L. 19 53'. Wind E. S. E., no change in
weather.
Nov. 29 — Wind and weather continue.
Nov. 30 — 98 1' W. L. 17 32' Lat, no change.
Dec. 1 — Wind and weather continue.
Dec. 2 — The same again. 101 9' W. L. 14 40' Lat. E. S. E.
Dec. 3 — No change in wind and weather.
Dec. 4— 104 14' W. L. ii° 5' Lat. Wind E. S. E., beautiful
weather.
Dec. 5 — Wind and weather continue without change.
Dec. 6 — Again the same. 107 27' W. L. 8° 33' Lat.
Dec. 7 — No change.
Dec. 8 — Again, no chance. no° 19' W. L. 5 11' Lat.
Dec. 9 — Wind E. S. E., weather very warm and sultry.
Dec. 10 — 113 22' W. L. 2° 30' Lat. E. S. E. wind and fine
weather.
Dec. II — No change in wind, air sultry.
Dec. 12 — 116 49' W. L. i° 54' Lat. E. S. E. wind and pleas-
ant weather.
Dec. 13 — Very light E. S. E., most beautiful weather.
Dec. 14 — 119 2' W. L. o° 41' Lat. Wind and weather the
same.
Dec. 15 — East wind, most delightful weather.
Dec. 16 — 120 23' W. L. 2 26' Lat., E. S. E. wind; fresh and
fair.
Dec. 17 — Wind and weather continue the same.
Dec. 18— 121 30' W. L. 5 19' N. Lat., E. S. E. very light.
Dec. 19 — East wind with rain ; warm.
Dec. 20—124° 4' W. L. 8° 8' N. Lat. east to N. N. E. ; air
sultry.
Dec. 21 — N. E. wind; agreeable weather.
Dec. 22 — 125° 58' W. L. 12° ii' N. Lat. N. E. wind, breezy;
fine.
Dec. 23 — N. N. E. wind; stormy, but beautiful.
Dec. 24— Continued. 128° 8' W. L. 16 6' N. Lat.
Dec. 25 — Same wind and weather.
NAUTICAL REPORT 1G9
Dec. 26— 132 o' W. L. 18 54' N. Lat. N. E. wind; fine
weather.
Dec. 2j — N. E. wind, beautiful but cool.
Dec. 28—133° "' W. L. 22° 33' N. Lat. N. E. wind, nice
weather.
Dec. 29 — Light N. E. nice, cool weather.
Dec. 30 — [34° 37' W. L. 25° 34' N. Lat., calm, fine weather.
Dec. 31 — Wind south and S. S. east, light, warm air.
1852.
Jan. 1— 135° 6' W. L. 27 38' N. Lat. Light S. E. to S., beau-
tiful.
Jan. 2 — South wind, vcrv brisk, beautiful weather.
Jan. 3— 1 33° 9' W. L. '31° 2%' N. Lat. S. S. W., cool and
cloudv.
Jan. 4— 130° 24' W. L. 32° 50' N. Lat. S. and S. W., cloudy
with rain.
Tan. s — Calm. Weather, beautiful and warm.
Tan. 6— 128 44' W. L. 33° 45' X. Lat. Calm; fine weather.
Jan. 7— 128° 10' W. L. 33° 53' N. Lat. Calm; P. M., north-
ern breeze.
Jan. 8—126- 58' W. L. 33 51' N. Lat., N. N. E. followed by
calm ; cold.
Jan. 9— 127 11' W. L. 34 4' N. Lat. Calm; later S. W.—
breezy.
Jan. 10 — Very light S. W.. then calm. Nice weather.
Jan. 11 — T26 1' W. L. 36 n' N. Lat. Light circling wind
from south and west; air, pleasant.
LETTER NO. VII
San Francisco, Jan. 29th, 1852.
At last I am at my destination and, if I may be per-
mitted to judge from the impression which the short stay
has given me, I shall have reason to congratulate myself
upon the choice of my second fatherland.
But before I enter into details about San Francisco—
details which will make you burn mid-night oil to read—
I beg your indulgence for a brief space while continuing
my last description— with the help of my faithful diary
—the thread of which you followed to the eleventh day
of this month.
The twelfth brought various indications of near-by
land, such as the dark-green color of the water, diving
ducks (duckers, as the sailors commonly call them), gray
birds about the size of our geese. There also appeared
floating alongside of our boat the limb of a tree, covered
with leaves, a most convincing and welcome proof that
the days of our journey were numbered. At about a quar-
ter to one, the same afternoon, the joyous shout of land
rang out from the fore top, whence the high coast could
be observed, both in a Northern and Eastern direction.
Soon after we commenced to notice the outlines with the
naked eye, as they appeared at considerable length on
the Eastern horizon. The sea grew calmer and the air
warmer. As darkness set in we, of course, lost sight of
the situation. By four o'clock the next morning we found
ourselves close to the Farallones Cliffs and had hard work
to keep the ship away from them, in which attempt we
were particularly fortunate, as the moon shone brightly
during that beautiful night. However, we were com-
pelled to reverse our course, and as the wind changed
considerably back and forth during the early morning,
170
ON AMERICAN SOIL 171
we had quite a lively time on board. Though the sun-
rise was simply magnificent, the wind blew severely. The
high coast of California appeared to he hut twelve miles
away, while the Farallones cliffs were now almost as far
distant, when looking from our backboard-quarter.
Though maneuvering the sails carefully, we had little
control of our ship and hy about eight o'clock found our-
selves again (to the dismay of every one), close to the
largest of the Farallon Islands. Just when our troubles
were at their height there appeared a San Francisco
coasting pilot-boat on the scene, which sent a man on
hoard, who immediately ordered the changing of sails.
Unfortunately there is a vast difference between the Ger-
man mode of rigging and the American way, in conse-
quence of which an American mariner seldom finds him-
self at home on a German sailing-vessel. In our particu-
lar case the pilot's aid cost us a main yard and endan-
gered the lives of several men of our crew. After ridding
ourselves of this undesirable help, we had the visit of an-
other coasting-pilot. We also sighted a strange bark and
a brigg, both coasting Eastward.
At four ]>. m. Sea and wind grew calmer. Toward
eleven o'clock we reached the Cape "de los Reyes"; after-
wards we coursed in short tacks near the coast. Our sails
were in poor condition, some of the yards being too short,
others as crooked as fiddle-sticks, which proved a great
hindrance in stemming the tide near ' k de los Reyes
Point." The air is unusually bright and agreeable. The
coast pilot-boat which reached us this morning has made
the trip from Boston around Cape Horn in one hundred
and four days; its name is "Emily." Since the hitter's
arrival we have had two other pilots offer their assist-
ance. The aforementioned bark and brigg are approach-
ing us rapidly, though yet beyond recognition.
Wednesday, the fourteenth of January, 1852, at nine
a. m. The wind turned N. E. last night, enabling us
thereby to sail along the coast; but when we approached
the "Golden Gate" about ten o'clock, ready to enter the
long-sought Bay, an East-Northeast storm broke out
172 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
which spoiled our fond hopes, notwithstanding the en-
deavor of our brave men to fight the difficulties success-
fully by shifting the sails diligently. You will readily
imagine our thorough disappointment when finding our-
selves about three o'clock near the "Punta del Alio
Nuevo" — which means about sixteen miles from shore.
At last the storm subsided, the air became mild, even
warm, and the sea very quiet. By seven o 'clock we man-
aged to approach the shore anew and at present we are
slowly making our way Northward, rigged as yesterday.
The bark is now cruising some four miles from us, while
the brigg has anchored at Cape "Bonita" alongside of a
fullmaster. One can likewise observe a threemaster
cruising in the neighborhood of the Farallones. Poor
fellows! May they escape the danger-mark, as we did.
At ten o'clock the bark had advanced sufficiently for us
to distinguish the Hamburg flag, and a little later we
recognized the "Sophie," Captain Decker, an old ac-
quaintance from Valparaiso, where she arrived coming
from Sydney, three days before we left that port.
At high noon: Complete calm set in. The air is de-
lightfully warm. The three-master "Spray" from San
Francisco is now within close calling distance; she like-
wise has come from Valparaiso, which trip she made in
thirty-five days. We are now near Punta "Clara." At
three p. m. we have a slight Western breeze. The "So-
phie" is now within a mile of us. A large Peruvian bark
laden with ballast passed us a little while ago. The full-
masted ship which had anchored near Cape Bonita lias
set sail again; she evidently lost her fore-top-mast and is
now heading for the Bay. At seven p. m. We have taken
a Northern course since three o'clock; the air is warm and
the sky is cloudless. By half-past five we sailed around
"Punta de los Lobos Marinos" (seal rocks), passing the
Fort right after sun-set. At five minutes past six we an-
chored close to the American Revenue Cutter and just
outside of North Beach, in the outer harbor of San Fran-
cisco.
Thursday, the fifteenth of January, 1852, at high noon:
ON AMERICAN SOIL 173
We weighed anchor once more, about nine this morning,
and sailed slowly under light Westwind into the inner-
harbor of the Western Metropolis. The weather is beau-
tiful. We reached the California wharf at twelve and
anchored opposite.
Thus ended my trip in Tiro hundred sixty-five days,
five hours and fifty-five minutes since my departure from
KonigsbeTg, on board of the steamer "Ki'migsberg," Cap-
tain Lybe.
Two hundred twenty-three days, eighteen hours and
ten minutes since my departure from Hamburg in the
bark "Victoria," Capt. Meyer, Fifty-nine days, one hour
and twenty-five minutes since my departure from Valpa-
raiso in the brig "Aurora," Capt. Mihlenstein.
On American Soil!
No sooner had we anchored than T at once went ashore
to visit Boettcher, who received me very kindly. It was
from his place that 1 dispatched my letter Xo. 11 (includ-
ing strictly persona] notes), which informed you in few
words of my safe arrival and well-being.
You will now doubtless be exceedingly curious as to the
impression which San Francisco has made upon me; and
therefore a description of the city and its people will be
in order. San Francisco is, to begin with, an American
city. "Every third grade pupil can tell us that," will
be your impatient suggestion, "but what is in reality
an American city?"* Let me explain, what I mean by a
typical American city.
The American uses the very practical and characteris-
tic expression "for a purpose" on nearly every occasion,
so much in fact that it may almost be called his life's
motto: "Working for a purpose." He eats and drinks
for a purpose; he works for a purpose; he builds his
* The third grade of a German grammar school corresponds
witli the sixth grade °f an American public school, as the highest
grade is named the "Prima." — Tr.
174 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
house, his town, his cities for a purpose, and San Fran-
cisco, above all others, I judge, is built for a purpose,
through and through. You will understand this phrase
better as you read along. The streets are straight and
wide, because crooked, narrow lanes would not suit the
commercial purpose; they are all cut at right angles, run-
ning North, West, East and South — for a purpose. How
could a stranger possibly familiarize himself quickly with
the location of a place in which he is interested in so
large and mountainous a city, the houses of which, par-
ticularly in the outskirts, resemble anything but a contin-
uous line and where the many vacant lots make it almost
impossible to use numbers effectively? You commence to
realize that the founders and early city fathers laid their
plans for a purpose and, moreover, for a good one. Hav-
ing read so far you will now reason thus: If San Fran-
cisco has wide, straight streets and large squares, it must
be a beautiful city. Slowly, I pray you! Do not judge
too hastily. This is a new country and San Francisco
is of the latest birth, in what is commonly known as the
"Wild Western" region. Everything consequently is
yet done for a commercial purpose, and beauty, so far,
counts for little. And still one has to admit San Fran-
cisco has its attractions. Though the appearance of the
city, were I to describe a bird's-eye view from one of the
hill tops is not a very symmetrical one, nor does it pre-
sent to us the beautiful architecture of ancient Greece,
but one finds therein a rare liveliness and an ever chang-
ing aspect. San Francisco compares with Berlin as a
bright, rosy-cheeked maiden might be compared with a
marble Juno. No two houses have a similar front; not ten
are alike in general architecture. Each house has its pe^
culiarity, indicating the taste and nationality of its Owner
and is built in accordance with the requirements of the
respective material used. One naturally finds the strang-
est contrasts of architectural products, mostly imitations
of foreign ideas, brought hither from every civilized and
uncivilized nation of the world. Buildings, representing
the styles of Holland, Australia, East India, Germany,
OX AMERICAN SOIL 175
China, Belgium, North America, England, France, Chile,
Switzerland and many other countries stand peacefully
alongside of each other. The materials used differ as
much as do the countries which their styles represent.
Most buildings are of wooden material, many others of
brick, iron, zinc and copper. Brick houses with metal
roofs, iron doors and window casings are very much the
style here and those who are able to afford the great out-
lay generally favor the latter, because they offer better
resistance in case of fire than any of wholly metal struc-
ture, which have proven impracticable during great con-
flagrations. It is said that the intense heat of some big-
fires has softened the metal built houses to such an extent
that they became almost useless. There is no way of
repairing such damage to metal built houses as the wages
for building mechanics, no matter what metal they work
in, are so enormously high that the repairs would cost
much more than the importation of a new structure from
England or the Eastern States.
The streets which run through this gay appearing map
of edifices are still very hilly, but time will change that
easily and soon enough. As soon as the American finds
out that hills do not suit his purpose, he will find means
of moving them without much ado. lie will not try to
bring that about, like Mohammed, by faith, but by ma-
chines of the most varied and unheard-of construction,
which, however, have or seem to have all one common
feature, that of being very much ' ' for the purpose. ' ' One
of said machines is at present, working at leveling a sand
hill, about one hundred feet high, near Rincon point, the
Southern cud of the harbor. This machine consists of a
high pressure steam engine, which runs immense shovels
into the sand, then raises them and empties the contents
into a cart of special make. Each one of these carts holds
a box two feet deep, ten long and seven wide. Two of
the aforementioned shovels suffice to fill this cart, which
at once rolls off on rails to a certain point at the harbor,
where a single man awaits its coming and by touching
some simple mechanical device, manages to tilt the whole
176 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
box over, whereupon, after emptying itself, it is replaced
as easily, after which a single old horse hauls it back to
the machine where the performance is repeated. While I
pen these lines the cars glide along the railroad tracks,
crossing and running through busy streets, traversing, for
instance, nearly a mile of Battery street, one of the most
populated thoroughfares of this city, where thousands of
people and hundreds of freight wagons, carts and vehicles
of all description pass hourly. What would you say to
all that! What would the Honorable City Council or the
worshipful Board of Police Commissioners of the grand
old city of Konigsberg say if a private citizen should con-
ceive the idea of rolling heavy freight cars in the above
mentioned manner, from the Haberberger Church, for
instance, to the Green Bridge? They would surely be
amazed at the audacity of the man who should even pro-
pose such a thing. But here! Why, the American would
be very much surprised indeed at the impudence of a
municipal body that would dare to interfere with an
undertaking which could be proven to be so eminently for
the purpose he had in view. Danger for the passer-by is
not considered by the American, who judges rightly that
every man should have sense enough to keep his eyes
open and be watchful to keep out of the way of danger
of being run over.
I explained to you one method employed in reducing
the local elevations or hills, but there is still another by
which the city is leveled and this latter is typically Amer-
ican. The plan for the location and building of the city
of San Francisco as drawn by the government presup-
poses level ground and is calculated upon filling up of a
large portion of the bay. The building squares or so-
called lots, are cut exactly square and all of the same size
and whosoever intends to build, is obliged by law to keep
strictly within the boundary of his lot. Whether he pro-
poses to put up a match factory in a wooden shack, a
tamale factory in a tent, a cottage or a brick structure,
is nobody's concern but his own. No building restric-
tions here. A goodly number of these lots extend thus
ON AMERICAN SOIL 177
partlj into the water of the bay and the builder has nec-
essarily, in building on his square, to use some old vessel
or undertake the tedious work of filling up the allotted
space; if he is fortunate enough to obtain a real lot on
dry land, there are ninety-nine chances out of a hundred
that he has to level it one way or the other. However,
this again is left to the pleasure of the owner, who may
build on a hill or in the valley if he chooses or he may take
pains to level it before beginning to erect whatsoever the
plan may call for. Thus it occurs here and there that
they who have built their houses upon natural ground
find their neighbor digging twenty feet deep into the
elevation to place his own house right into that newly
dug hole, which is a frequent occurrence where the street
is either planned or already laid out. As the soil is gen-
erally light or pure sand, the neighboring houses where
such digging has occurred soon tumble into the hole, as
may be witnessed quite often nowadays. In this manner
one need not be surprised at the rapidity with which the
leveling of the city progresses. In fact, the work is done
much quicker than in localities where the authorities
impose building restrictions of various kinds — which
would cause many inconveniences here in America. I
have already mentioned that the streets are wide and
straight but as yet without stone pavement. Only the
oldest and most frequented thoroughfares in the imme-
diate vicinity of the harbor show some improvement in
this line, consisting of wooden pavement; while all of
them have broad wooden sidewalks which in some in-
stances are being replaced by flag-stones (usually slate)
or bricks. Every house is occupied by tradesmen of some
kind and is literally covered with advertising signs and
posters. Though the only ornaments of the buildings,
these signs show much originality, as it is every man's
endeavor to make the letters, coloring and wording of his
advertising board as attractive to the passer-by as pos-
sible. Thus it is that the whole represents a typical
Rococo, the reality of which baffles any description. In
solid Kdnigsberg, T would perhaps be accused of telling
12
178 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
"globe trotters' yams," were I to assure the good people
that all the signs and inscriptions of the whole French
street (Franzosische Strasse) would, in some instances,
not suffice to cover the display of three houses in Com-
mercial or Montgomery street, as they appear at present.
If the streets and houses of San Francisco make a strange
impression upon the European immigrant, the magnifi-
cent harbor and its gigantic improvements fill him with
amazement. The wharves and docks are such immense
structures that one can hardly find words to describe
their extent and importance. These wharves, of which
there may be ten or twelve, are seldom less than one hun-
dred feet in width, while the California street wharf,
Long wharf, Pacific, Broadway and Cunningham wharf,
which are among the largest, measured three-quarters
of a mile (one-quarter of a German mile in length). You
will readily understand that it took milliards of piles,
beams and planks to complete these structures, while
available means at hand are often limited, as may well
be imagined, if one considers the comparative newness
of the country, and, in many respects, the primitive means
of communication.
As the people fill up the waters along the shore of the
bay in the manner I have described, the long piers grow
shorter in places, as the so-called water front extends fur-
ther and further into the bay. When one considers that
the wage scale at the time of the construction of these
enormous wharves demanded no less than six or eight
dollars for the common day laborer, while carpenters, for
instance, received from ten to twelve dollars a day, a
faint estimate of the original cost may be obtained. It
is well indeed to marvel at the great spirit which con-
ceived and executed the plans for this unique American
undertaking; it fills one with a degree of respect, which
no other nation in the wide world can command.*
*And this from a youth of twenty! What a lesson for the
multitudes of foreigners who land on these shores and, having
found the individual liberty which was denied them in their own
OX AMERICAN SOIL 179
In strange contrast to the^e just described public struc-
tures are others, the sight of which transports in imagina-
tion the newcomer to different parts of the world. Far
instance, that part of San Francisco which is built upon
props, just above the water on the edge of the bay, and
which, like Venice, has water avenues instead of streets.
with occasionally a so-called "running bridge," the struc-
ture of which I deem more dangerous than anything I
have ever seen in my life. I shall tiy to describe the
sight. Piles or props have been driven into the ground in
straight lines, about ten feet apart; the upper ends are
then connected with cross beams, to which in turn are
spiked planks, joining the opposite rows of piles or props.
The bridge thus constructed is just about wide enough to
permit two persons to pass each other, while it is fully
from eighty to a hundred feet long. As the gnawing
tooth of time loosens the piles or wears them out, the
passer of the bridge experiences a queer sensation when
the planks creak under his weight in consequence of the
unsteady support below. If I add to this description the
fact that this very bridge is located in the most thickly
inhabited part of town and serves as a means of daily
communication to thousands of people, you will undoubt-
edly asks: "How does that harmonize with the gigantic
structures at the wharves?" But anybody who bears
in mind that everything here in America is done for a
purpose will soon find the clue. The bridge is. to begin
with, for foot passengers only. The American would
consider every dollar money tin-own away were he to put,
for instance, a railing on either side of said bridge, as
he Teasons that people who desire to make use of this
short cut should have sense enough to look out that they
do not fall into the water, just as before mentioned, thai
they are expected to steer clear of the quickly moving
sand cars on Battery street, lest they be run over and
native principality, abuse the government which protects them
from personal harm, be it of a religious or political nature-
Translator.
180 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
crushed. Whoever deems this bridge too dangerous is
entirely at liberty to choose a roundabout and much
longer way to reach his destination. Just imagine our
typical German philistine in Sunday attire coming across
such a bridge ! How he would give vent to his righteous
indignation and growl at the seemingly inexcusable neg-
ligence and niggardly parsimoniousness of the munic-
ipality, while carefully looking about, fearing that some
one might have overheard his unguarded words. But, I
assure you, I never have admired the practical side of
the American character during my short acquaintance
with their means and methods, more than in this very
comparison. There is on one side of this strangely orig-
inal structure just described, filling its temporary pur-
pose, and right alongside of it, the splendidly built Long
wharf, which also is there for a purpose, different, of
course, from that of its neighbor.
Should the practical eye of San Francisco's city gov-
ernment become officially convinced today that this
swinging bridge ought to be replaced by one of fifty feet
in width and of more solid frame, thousands of men
would be found at work tomorrow and in about a week's
time all would be done and nobody would be very much
surprised. This, of course, is so different from the good
old way of the Fatherland, where, after long and careful
debating and consideration, an Honorable City Council
would perhaps permit repairs of said bridge, even a rail-
ing, while the execution of the municipal edict might
drag along for a year. Yes, our people are thorough
whenever they undertook a thing, but so slow!
It is impossible for me to leave the harbor without due
mention of the many magnificent vessels, which are here
in plain sight. Some of the models before my daily gaze
overshadow everything I have seen anywhere thus far.
The American clipper has particularly attracted my at-
tention; it is a production of the last few years and has
not been very long in practical use. The chief object
of the ship builders has evidently been to make a record
with these new vessels for unequaled rapidity. Every
ON AMERICAN SOIL 181
part of the structure indicates this purpose. In course
of a short time this new line of vessels has reached such
a marvelous degree of superiority that clippers of two
thousand tons and more sail faster than many of our
justly famed steamers, thus breaking the record by cov-
ering fourteen to fifteen knots (nearly four German
miles) an hour, which is not even taken to be a very
remarkable accomplishment by our American brethren.
There is, for instance, at anchor in this harbor, the New
Year Clipper "Fleeing Cloud," a fine vessel of nineteen
hundred tons, which has made the trip from New York
with full freight in eighty-nine days and which is the
record breaker, as far as hitherto known. Another one,
the smaller clipper "Challenge," has made the trip from
Valparaiso to this port in twenty-seven days, including
four days of calm, while we spent fifty-nine days in mak-
ing the passage between the same ports. These clippers
aTe, notwithstanding their large freight capacity, the
most handsome, easy going and elegant models one can
possibly imagine. Special care has been taken to avoid
whatever might cause the least resistance to the welcome
wind. The whole is in appearance sharp, narrow and
long, beautiful to behold. While these well shaped ves-
sels are rigged like full-masters, every spare space be-
tween the masts is utilized for another smaller sail.
There need hardly be any mention of the many steam-
ers in this great harbor. Ten or twelve a day leave for
inland points or seaward, while as many incoming vessels
anchor daily, among which may be seen the smallest fish-
ing boats and the largest merchant-men often more than
two hundred and fifty feet long. The number of steam-
ers regularly running between this and foreign ports is
given by harbor officials as from one hundred and forty to
one hundred and sixty.
Thus far the city and its harbor. Let us now describe
the people.
182 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
The People of San Francisco.
It was in Valparaiso where a young Frenchman— one
of the satirical kind, who ridicule everybody and every-
thing that does not strike their particular fancy at any
particular hour— for the French, as a nation as well as
individuals, are very much subject to the impulse of the
moment— expressed himself about San Francisco and its
inhabitants as follows:
"Vous n' y trouverez pas des hommes, seulement des
sacs a 1 'argent, ou remplis ou vides." "You will not find
any human beings there, only money bags, either filled or
empty."
I have not been here sufficiently long to know exactly
how far this man's sarcastic saying may be justified but,
judging from the kind welcome I have received every-
where so far, I am rather* inclined to take his words at
a discount as an intended bon-mot rather than as ab-
solute truth.
Variegated as is this metropolis of the West itself, are
the many people who crowd the streets, be they afoot, in
carriages or on horseback. I do not think that there is a
nation, representatives of which are not to be found in
every sphere of local society : Yankees, Mexicanos, Peru-
vians, Chileans, Firelanders, Italians, Malays, Siamese,
Creoles, Mulattoes, Negroes, Chinese, Indians— in short,
Jews and Gentiles of all nations people the ever-crowded
streets in their respective national costumes. No matter
where the stranger may hail from, he is sure to find
sooner or later some congenial countryman with whom
he can chat in his mother tongue. Of course, English
being the language of this country is the most spoken,
but German, French and Spanish are heard almost as
often, so that one ought to be able to converse fluently in
four languages in order to move with ease among all
classes of local society, and there is no doubt in my mind
that every retail merchant of this city is daily or even
hourly called upon to answer in at least three of the above
named languages. No wonder therefore that almost
ON AMERICAN SOIL 183
every one of them— though he may be often unable to go
beyond "yes" or "no" and to count (on his fingers) —
has a very conspicuous sign in his show window an-
nouncing his linguistic ability in words like: "Aqui se
habla espanol; " "Ici on parle franc;ais," and "Hier
spricht man Deutsch." In this respect most seaports
are alike. Considering the great mixture of elements,
each one representing different modes of living, thinking,
acting, each individual educated and raised in different
zones from those of his neighbors, impressed from child-
hood with different principles, different ideas of right
and wrong; they are united only in one purpose, namely,
a desire to become rich as quickly as possible. Does it
or should it astonish you that one's personal safety and
that of his property are not as yet as firmly assured as
in other civilized states? Notwithstanding all this, I can
truly say that the average opinion in this respect of the
folks at home is a very erroneous one, even exaggerated.
Our daily communications and means thereof are now no
more endangered by criminals and actual crimes than in
any other city which has so large an influx of foreign
elements.
In order to explain to you the circumstances which
brought about a radical change in the social conditions,
changing the most disreputable state of disorder and law-
lessness into one of absolute safety, I shall have to take
you back in spirit over a period of about nine months, to
a time when lawlessness was at its very height. This re-
quires likewise a detailed account of lyneh-law ami its
executions during the last year. As these events which
I am about to relate have very likely been reported in
fragments or in such distorted fashion that you will not
have been able to get correct impressions of the matter, I
have taken particular pains to get at the very truth of
this history making epoch of San Francisco. I conse-
quently vouch for the reliability of the following descrip-
tion, as it has been told me by Boettcher, a man who had
been one of the prime factors of the movement and in
whose veracity I have the utmost confidence.
184 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
Until May 3d of last year the danger to person and
property had reached a height surpassing belief, both in
the city and in the interior, where the worst imaginable
conditions are said to have prevailed. It had come to the
point that no one dared to venture upon the street with-
out a pistol or dagger, even in broad daylight. In out-
lying parts of the city, precaution was taken after dark
to call for signals of recognition; and even then one per-
son meeting another would be ready for an emergency by
keeping his weapon in hand, so that at the first suspicious
movement on the part of the stranger, he might be able
to defend himself on the instant. Every issue of the daily
papers would contain two or three columns of sensational
reports of criminal assaults, highway robberies, break-
ing into stores, thieving in every conceivable way, etc.
Among these short accounts one often reads of the most
daring broad-day crimes, executed in crowded thorough-
fares with such boldness and absolute insolence as to
baffle all description. No wonder therefore that the local
authorities became practically helpless and unable to put
down the growing lawlessness; and the punishment of
guilty parties became more and more difficult; while law-
abiding citizens openly accused officials of accepting
bribes. The work hating, hoodlum classes seemed to feel
licensed to prey upon the public like so many human vul-
tures. Lawyers and even judges of police and superior
courts had become corrupt, and it became known that
large sums of money had gone into their pockets in order
to facilitate the escape of criminals through loopholes
and technicalities which the minions of the law knew so
well how to manipulate in behalf of their clients. The
natural consequence was that the indignation of all right-
minded people rose in proportion to the evergrowing
number of criminals; and it finally reached a climax at
the time of the May conflagration which impoverished
thousands of honest, hard working inhabitants, and which,
being the work of incendiaries, was accompanied by a
large number of lesser crimes. All classes of society
would have dissolved under similar conditions in any
ON AMERICAN SOIL 185
part of the wide world, and a more or less revolutionary
uprising would have been the necessary and unavoidable
consequence of similar events in Europe; but the Ameri-
can imbibes with his mother's milk not only a certain
respect for law and order but an undeniable talent for
self-government, which saved him in this instance from
mob violence, notwithstanding the fact that the munic-
ipal authorities showed a woeful lack of power, yea worse,
a great weakness for ill-gotten gains. Thus every indi-
vidual suspected his next door neighbor and was ever
on his guard to protect his own belongings against the
fancied or real covetousness of the other; each one kept
a watchful eye by day and night. People went about
troubled in mind and ghastly in mien, for they never
knew what news the homecoming might have in store for
them. In order to meet this ever growing distrust and
worry, the citizens had to determine upon some very de-
cided course of action in order to protect home and prop-
erty. Thus it happened that toward the end of May, six
of the most respected citizens inaugurated a movement
which was destined to bring about a radical change for
the better. These aforementioned men, having quietly
invited their most trustworthy acquaintances to join them
in secret in a well known hall on Sansom street, succeeded
in calling a gathering of about sixty picked men of the
most reliable merchants and tradesmen, all residents, both
Americans and foreigners. Each one appeared well
armed and bound to secrecy. This assemblage knew that
they were called for a purpose and proceeded at once to
select from among their number temporary president and
secretaries, after which they decided upon a constitution
and by-laws, laying down some sort of program for the
newly created secret society, the purpose of which was
given out in the following condensed announcement:
"The undersigned citizens realize that if the present
state of affairs should be allowed to continue, a total up-
heaval of all that right and order call for would have to
be expected, as the action or inaction of the local munic-
ipal authorities has given convincing proof of their lack
186 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
of power and even of good will, failing, too, in protecting
the working citizen, wherefore they have decided to take
this duty upon themselves and thus to adopt a self-pro-
tecting law, vowing to stand all for one and one for all."
After all present had affirmed the above by a solemn
oath, the next step was to increase the membership by
inviting men who were recommended and vouched for
by those present, who were looked upon as the charter
members of this young organization. In three days the
society counted no less than two hundred and eighty
members, all of them picked and sworn; this number
was considered sufficient to make an energetic start. Dur-
ing the second meeting, likewise armed, the members
were divided into committees and sections. At first a per-
manent watch was established at the meeting place on
Sansom street ; then a number of small patrols, well armed
but bearing no outward sign of any but the peaceful mis-
sion of their respective vocation or leisure's pursuits.
Thus hundreds of eager eyes kept watch by day and
night, enveloping the city like a network of vigilance.
And all this without the slightest knowledge of anybody
except the chosen few. They thus constituted a well or-
ganized secret police, acting without the knowledge or
aid of the municipal authorities.
The second day after the vigilance committee had com-
menced its active and effective work, one of its patrols
succeeded in catching a thief, who had stolen a bag of
money from an office and, while trying to escape with his
plunder in rowing across the bay, fell into the hands of
the patrol. A meeting was called hurriedly at Sansom
street headquarters, the culprit brought before the presi-
dent and identified as one Jenkins, ex-Sydney convict.
The witnesses proved the correctness of the charge and
the president picked a jury of twelve persons, who, duly
sworn, returned a unanimous verdict of guilty. As not
one of those present voiced an objection, the president
condemned the defendant amidst profound silence to ex-
piate his crime on the scaffold, the hanging to take place
within half an hour. Meanwhile it had been ordered that
ON AMERICAN SOIL 187
the occurrence should be partly made known in the city,
in older to prepare the citizens for an extraordinary
event, without giving exact details as to what to expect.
Tims no one outside the sworn members of the organiza-
tion knew anything definite, but even the late hour did
not prevent the gathering of an enormous crowd at the
plaza— a large square in the most frequented part of the
city.
Expectancy was at its height. About half past eleven
there appeared the criminal Jenkins, surrounded by
twenty-four armed men, members of the lynching com-
mittee. A scaffold had been erected and was now the des-
tination of the culprit, though an unsuccessful attempt
had been made by a few regular policemen to break the
cordon; the order to stand back and the significant dis-
play of pistols had its wholesome effect upon these so-
called agents of public safety. AVhen the place of hang-
ing had been reached the chosen leader of the band of
lynchers, climbing upon a table and in the torchlight, ad-
dressed the multitude, which had reached a number of at
least twelve thousand people. He dwelt eloquently upon
the present state of affairs and this particular event, end-
ing his fiery speech with these words: "Citizens of San
Francisco! Is it your will that this criminal Jenkins,
who has been found guilty of robbery, shall lose his life
by the rope?" A thundering "yes" from thousands of
voices was the answer and when the sound began to die
away the lifeless body of Jenkins was already swinging
in midnight air!
This daring deed had given publicity to the existence
and purpose of the society and the crisis was overcome.
Everybody indorsed the action of the lynchers and the
demand for admission to membership reached such pro-
portions that the names of nearly every honest and armed
man in the city appeared on the membership roll within
the next few weeks. Of course, it became necessary to
reconstruct the by-laws and reorganize committees, sub-
divide patrols and plan the whole working on a larger
and more effective scale. It was therefore decided to
188 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
select an Executive Body of two hundred men, known
henceforth as "Vigilance Committee" which would take
upon itself the authoritative patroling and general man-
agement of this protective policy. The city was divided
into districts, harbor, water front, city and suburban dis-
tricts; all had their vigilance patrols, while those mem-
bers of society who had not been detailed to duty formed
a sort of secret agency, which in all probability has never
been known to work with greater precision, greater har-
mony and consequently to better effect. So-called
"fences," that is, houses of people who harbor stolen
goods, were searched and a great many arrests were made
without giving newspaper publicity. In a short time
branch committees of the vigilance organization were
established throughout the state and many a criminal
fugitive from justice was caught in a far away hiding
place of the mining districts in the Sierras. Even steam-
ers were pressed into service to follow the tracks of
escaped culprits, to Mazatlan and Panama, in order to
return them to San Francisco jurisdiction. Naturally,
enormous sums of money were needed for such extensive
prosecution but that did not hinder the progress of the
movement, which had set for its purpose the complete
suppression of the lawless element and whenever the
monthly contributions of the members, five dollars a head,
proved insufficient, calls for public contributions were so
well responded to that whatever sums were needed could
be raised in a few hours. I suppose you will be shocked
to hear that but one form of punishment was dealt out—
the rope. Under these circumstances the state of affairs
improved hourly and the safety of the lives and property
of citizens became more and more evident. Any person
whose conscience accused him of misdeeds sought safety
in flight; for, to be caught, to be convicted and to be hung
was but the experience of a few hours. The former pos-
sibilities, yea probabilities of escape through legal loop-
holes were things of the past, as the lynch committee
would acknowledge no other testimony and deal out jus-
tice through no other channels but that of the conscience
ON AMERICAN SOIL 189
of honest men, whose final judgment bore the stamp oi
sound sense.
However, the committee had set its ambition higher
than merely to clear the city and surrounding country of
vagabonds of every description, who had openly sinned
against law, life and property. It directed its energies
likewise against those wdio had helped or hidden the
criminals in their respective positions as lawyers, judges,
receivers of stolen goods or as den or dive keepers of
more or less importance. It was naturally 7iot very easy
to bring this class of malefactors to justice, to convict and
condemn them to the well earned rope, but they were nev-
ertheless dealt with most effectively. The judges and
lawyers were practically ruined by the arousing of public
opinion against them by publishing in the most popular
dailies the trials of noted criminals in the course of which
these men had proven themselves unworthy of their call-
ing by manipulating evidence in favor of this or the other
law breaker, giving full particulars of the tricks used in
such cases. By this and similar means they became ex-
posed to the wrath of the people, and not only lost their
patronage among the honest citizens but generally earned
their well deserved public contempt; and whenever they
appeared in the streets they were greeted with hisses,
shouts and other degrading expressions. As this class of
men had accumulated more or less wealth they disap-
peared one by one, without noise and without special
farewell services. Thus San Francisco was effectually
freed from this most undesirable gentry.
Next in order were the keepers of " fences" and dens,
called "cribs," the number, exact list of names and
biographies of which had been secured by the vigilance
committee by means of secret service men. With these
another process was enacted. Most of these fellows were
ex-convicts from Sydney, Australia, and, according to
information obtained, either exiled, escaped or discharged
from there. They were dealt with very effectually and
by rather short methods. The vigilance committee paid
passage on an outgoing vessel, bound for Sydney, for the
190 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
whole outfit, numbering more than thirty, and sent every
one of them the following notice on the same day: "Five
days after date you will have to leave the city of San
Francisco and Upper California forever. Passage has
been paid for you on board of the vessel 'N,' Captain
l N,' in this harbor, bound for Sydney. Ticket herewith
enclosed. "The Vigilance Committee."
No further signature was attached to this laconic noti-
fication of their banishment but so panic stricken were
the recipients by the order of the all-powerful committee
that all but one hastened to comply without making an at-
tempt at delay by contradiction. One, however, thought
himself immune, pretending that nobody would be able to
prove his actual guilt and— he remained. To his amaze-
ment he found his house one fine morning surrounded by
two hundred well armed men. Every particle of his be-
longings were packed on a wagon, whereupon he himself
was given a free ride to the building of the vigilance com-
mittee on Battery street, where he was held prisoner for
eight days, i. e., until the departure of another Sydney
bound vessel, when he and his belongings were taken on
board and he was bidden farewell. This man had suf-
fered veritable death agony during the eight days of his
involuntary imprisonment in the Battery street jail,
which inmates in those days were seldom known to have
left— except to ascend the scaffold. No wonder that he
was happy to have saved his neck, even in this manner.
The municipal authorities, for weighty reasons of their
own, dared not interfere, and thus the vigilance commit-
tee held full sway until the former commenced to feel
the sting of public disdain, as well as chagrined that their
presence and offices cut so small a figure in public opin-
ion. They then planned to regain the power which, in
their opinion, the vigilance committee had usurped. An
opportunity for their intended action seemed to have
come. With the beginning of August the arduous work
of the purification by the vigilance committee seemed
to have been nearly completed. There remained, how-
ever, among a few others a band of very dangerous
ON AMERICAN SOIL 191
criminals, all of whom were Sydney men, who had
been sought in vain for many months. They were
five: Robinson, Hamilton, Thompson, Whittaker and
MacKenzie. At last the three first named were caught
in the neighborhood of Sacramento, while about to
add a new crime to their already heavy list. To the
sleuths of the Sacramento branch committee belonged the
credit of catching Thompson and Hamilton, while Rob-
inson was caught by the regular authorities of San Fran-
cisco. All three were incendiaries or highway robbers,
but owing to the mixed associations in their many mis-
deeds the trial lasted considerably longer than it other-
wise would have done. The fact that their crimes had
been committed in different parts of the state had also
delayed matters, as it was the purpose of the committee
to lift the veil from all their misdeeds before sentencing
them. Finally, toward the middle of August, the other
two miscreants, Whittaker and MacKenzie, were caught
and taken to the headquarters of the vigilance commit-
tee in San Francisco, after which the trial took a quicker
turn. As you will have observed, the fact was that the
trial against these five malefactors had to be divided
into three parts and, still worse, it had to be carried on
in different cities and under distinct authorities, virtually
on bad footing with each other, which surely did not help
nor hasten matters. Robinson was tried in the regular
criminal court of San Francisco, Thompson and Hamil-
ton stood before the vigilance committee, Sacramento
branch, while Whittaker and MacKenzie had to face the
main committee in this city. It was on the eighteenth
of August when Whittaker and MacKenzie were ad-
judged guilty and condemned to be hung the next morn-
ing. During the night the unexpected happened. It had
not been thought necessary to keep an unusually numer-
ous guard on the occasion and it was therefore an easy
matter for the sheriff and a few well armed officers to
take possession of the two criminal-', whom they led to
the prison on Telegraph TTill. Meanwhile the trial against
Robinson before the criminal court in Sacramento had
192 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
come to an end on the twentieth of August, resulting in
death sentence for the defendant. The execution was to
have taken place on the twenty-first of August, instead of
which the authorities proclaimed the governor's pardon
of said Robinson who had actually confessed to murder
and incendiarism. This gubernatorial act of injustice
naturally caused an outburst of wrath from the justly
embittered populace, who arose and loudly demanded
the execution of the other two law breakers. Meanwhile
the vigilance branch committee, forewarned by the kid-
naping experience of the other prisoners by the San
Francisco sheriff, hastened to hang the two companions
of Robinson, Thompson and Hamilton on the twenty-
second of August in the public square of Sacramento.
And now happened the incredible. Robinson, already
freed, had the unprecedented nerve and morbid curiosity
to watch the execution from among the many witnesses.
As he had taken no precaution whatever to avoid being
recognized he was caught anew and the leaders of
the committee ordered at once a third scaffold to be
erected. This was done in a moment, boards being
roughly nailed together— for the purpose — and before his
two companions in crime had breathed their last this
bandit, too, notwithstanding the governor's pardon, was
swinging in mid air, suspended at the end of a rope.
Though the central committee of the vigilance organ-
ization in San Francisco had been greatly exasperated
by the kidnaping of the two condemned criminals by the
municipal authorities, it took all possible means to calm
the great excitement of the general populace, in order
to prevent an open rupture with the legal heads of the
city government, such as any revolt on the part of over-
zealous citizens would undoubtedly have brought about.
This, however, did not mean that the committee would
willingly stand by to see the previously condemned men
escape execution of their sentence, after so much time,
effort and money had been spent to reach the ends of
justice. It was therefore secretly decided that the pris-
oners should be re-taken by means similar to those used
OX AMERICAN SOIL 193
by order of the regular authorities, that is, by finesse. It
came therefore to pass on Sunday, the twenty-fourth of
August, that one of the initiated obtained permission to
enter the city prison, while the prisoners were assembled
in the chapel to attend Divine Service. When the door
was partly opened to receive him this man took such a
position that it became impossible for the doorkeeper to
close the gate without using force. Before he had a
chance to call for aid the visitor had given a signal in
answer to which forty heavily armed strangers appeared
upon the scene to give the first visitor their aid. Whit-
taker and MacKenzie were then overpowered without any
trouble, placed in a waiting vehicle, which drove them
at full speed to the Battery street branch of the vigilance
committee, where they were made to expiate their crimes
by means of a rope, which was fastened to the window
casements, whilst an enormous crowd cheered lustily
without.
This was the last public act of the vigilance committee
during the past year, as it slowly yielded its power to the
proper municipal authorities, not, however, without a
very plain, explicit understanding that its services could
again be relied upon should public safety require them.
San Francisco owes this body of clean, tried men a
great deal more than the world will ever know. As al-
ready mentioned, safety to life on our streets is at pres-
ent as effectually assured as it is anywhere in large cit-
ies; and although the majority of citizens continue to
go about armed, it is more from the force of habit ac-
quired than by reason of fear. It is true, however, that
one has to be on one's guard and avoid quarrel, as the
least word-duel is apt to end in a pistolade, as there seems
yet to be much inclination to meet an insult with a bullet.
But all peaceably minded persons who go quietly about
their daily occupation, avoiding everything that is not
part of their legitimate line of work, but who seek only to
earn daily bread will seldom be annoyed by ruffians.
It cannot naturally be expected of me to have gained
a reliable insight into the business affairs of this great
194 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
Western city during my short stay of a fortnight. Mer-
chants, however, are heard to complain at present of con-
siderable pressure brought about by overproduction and
scarcity in the money market. It thus happened that
my many efforts, aided by most excellent recommenda-
tions and personal endeavors of newly found friends,
failed to secure for me a position as clerk. But there are
thousands of ways and means of support in x\merica,
which, if they do not serve for anything better, will at
least surely keep the wolf from the door.
Mercantile establishments are mostly in the hands of
either North Americans, Englishmen or Germans, while
there are likewise some very rich and respected Chilean
firms, but very few French and Mexican business houses.
The Chinese, too, go into business ventures once in a
while, but rarely on a large scale, though many of them
are very rich and could easily have the largest establish-
ments in the city, if money were the sole factor. Each na-
tionality tries to preserve its own peculiar character and,
as will be readily understood, the general hunt for money
and riches does not always bring out the better qualities
of men to advantage, but rather tends to bring the weak
ones into daily display. While it cannot be denied that
some acquire riches in comparatively few years, most
foreigners remain but a short time, only to return home
with disappointed hopes and shattered expectations; they,
however, make room for newcomers; new elements take
the vacant places, and the merry war for earthly posses-
sions continues. The sooner the European realizes that
the only safe way toward accumulating money is to work
for it, the better for him. There is not one out of a hun-
dred who grows rich rapidly, and here as elsewhere the
old adage: "Honesty is the best paying policy,' * is in
reality the only "golden rule" one should follow in
business as well as in private life. Though we generally
believe that time is all-powerful in smoothing conditions
and harmonizing difficulties and national peculiarities,
there seems to be astonishingly little assimilation be-
tween the different nations; they seem to remain inten-
ON AMERICAN SOIL 195
tionally and distinctly foreign to each other. Of all for-
eigners, the German seems to command the highest re-
spect in public opinion. The American respects him, and
— please do not laugh at the comparison — the Chinaman
seems to honor him above all foreigners. Both of these
nations have obtained the good will of the natives by
their soberness, honesty and industry, which qualities
the real Yankee the more admires, as he sees in them the
fundamental principles of a great nation. Englishmen
and Americans seem to get along fairly well, but a close
observer will be very much amused at times, and unin-
tentionally think of long forgotten mother goose stories
of cat and dog. When the Englishman goes with hands
in his wide trousers, whistling his "Rule Britannia" or
some other of his national songs, the genuine Yankee (if
one happens to be walking behind him) cannot refrain
from humming "Yankee Doodle," a by no means com-
plimentary song to the Briton.
Frenchmen find no favor in the eye of the native Amer-
ican, who cares little for them. "All French humbug"
is a saying frequently heard in American circles. The
fact is that, though present in large numbers, they sel-
dom show visible means of support. Most of them are
waiters, restaurant keepers or professional gamblers,
though, here as everywhere else, one finds noble excep-
tions.
Women are scarce in this part of the New World,
though I am told that they are much more numerous now
than a few years ago.
Having mentioned before that the French population
in this city consists to a certain extent of professional
gamblers, I am led to say a few words about the gambling
houses, of which so many strange stories have been told
abroad. The fact is, they long ago outlived their noto-
riety. The magnificent, gorgeously decorated halls of
such places as the "Veranda," "Eldorado," "Union
Hotel," "Oregon House" and a few others, the pomp and
fascinating attractiveness of which are certainly not out-
done even by public resorts of Hamburg or Berlin, are
196 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
now mostly deserted in daytime, and frequented at night
by sailors or lucky miners, who cannot rid themselves
quickly enough of their hard-earned money. The for-
merly rich display of gold by the bank holders of the
green table has diminished to such an extent that one
rarely sees a few pieces exhibited and even in the largest
establishments, where formerly hundreds of twenty dol-
lar gold pieces tempted the gaping crowds to try their
chances, today the smallest current coin— one bit— (or
Spanish "real," one-eighth of a dollar) will not be re-
fused by the keeper or bookmaker. This rapidly decreas-
ing popularity of gambling houses is a most convincing
proof of the immeasurable success of the Vigilance-Ke-
form movement, as well as of all-powerful "public opin-
ion" in America. And Jean Galbert de Campistron, the
great French playwright, who indignantly asked: "The
public! the public! how many fools are required to make
up a public?" would indeed be ill at ease in this country.
A few well worded newspaper articles proved sufficient
to incense the people against these academies of vice and
breathing places of immorality. Had not our greatest
living poet, Ferdinand Freiligrath, whom Americans
honor as the most beloved German friend of their own
Longfellow, blasted all hopes of speculating gamblers to
establish their nefarious bank in the ruins of the old his-
toric castle Ebernburg, by a single poem: "The Monu-
ment," which appeared a few years ago in the "Cologne
Gazette," the San Francisco newspaper success would
have won an unprecedented victory, which, however, is
great and praiseworthy enough in itself. Thanks to this
noble effort of the press, to be a gambler, has since be-
come the worst thing that can be said of a man.
The American press differs from that of our methodical
home periodicals. It is very much more alive and awake
to the fact that it has to serve purposes of which the solid
' ' Old World ' ' has little or no conception. It may have its
faults but then it has greater responsibilities, greater
aims and is consequently more heeded by the reading
musses than its pompous contemporaries abroad. Its edi-
( ).\ AMERICAN SOIL 197
torials are the expressions of free men, who say what is
uppermost in their mind, without fear of government cen-
sure or imprisonment. No wonder then that the press is
one of the pillars of this country. It fully deserves rec-
ognition.
As to myself, I cannot tell you just yet what I may
chose to do in case my endeavors to obtain a paying posi-
tion in this city should not be crowned with success
within the next few days, though I shall very likely take
the next best chance to try my luck in the mines. To do
this will be, if nothing else, an educating experiment, and
without overworking one's self, one can easily make the
necessary expenses of daily life and in the meantime gain
an opportunity of making a wholesome study of the nat-
ural conditions of the country. There is, of course, no
more hope for immense riches for miners, as in days gone
by, when a globe trotter would accidentally stumble over
a lump of pure gold. Still, by industry, persevering and
saving, one can yet accumulate a moderate sum in a
longer or shorter time, as fortune may permit. I board at
present with Griinhagen and Olias in Boettcher's resi-
dence, about a (German) mile from San Francisco, in a
charming place, which is well named "Pleasant Valley."
There are several young clerks from the city, all Ger-
mans, rooming in the same house, so that we number a
round dozen at the dinner table. The walk to town is very
agreeable and takes but half an hour. My expenditure
amounts to twelve dollars a week for room and board,
which will prove to you that living expenses are not
nearly as high as in days gone by. I live well at that,
and, as far as eating and drinking goes, far better than
at home. Life in hotels and saloons, however, is very ex-
pensive; so are the three best theaters of this city — the
American Theater, the "Jenny Lind" and the Theatre
Francais— where tickets for seats in the loges or dress
circles arc three dollars apiece. Wine seems to be cheaper
here than in the large vineyards. For instance, a gallon
— abont five bottles and a half of good table wine— costs
but four bits or one-hall* dollar, and the best champagne
198 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
no more than four dollars a gallon, which makes it pos-
sible for the poorest day laborer who shoves a hand cart
or carries a hod to include half a bottle of wine in his
bill of fare. And the California wine is fully as good as
the French wines, so-called, which we purchase at home;
at any rate you get what you pay for. Business men, as a
rule, eat after what is called the American plan, and
which is a very sensible one, in my estimation. About
eight o'clock in the morning one starts with a good warm
breakfast, consisting of beefsteak, chops, roast beef or
something of that sort, winding up with a cup of good
coffee. About noon one indulges in a so-called lunch, that
means a glass or two of wine, bread and cheese or cold
viands, and enjoys the principal meal at six o'clock, after
the cares and worries of the day are over and the office
is closed. This mode of living suits me exceedingly well,
yes, even better than our home method with its five meals.
By this method the day is not much divided, and one
can follow one 's pursuits without being interrupted every
two or three hours, and the natural consequence is that
the American accomplishes more in a day than his Euro-
pean competitor.
Though we are said to live in the midst of the rainy
season, I confess that so far I have not seen a drop. The
air is warm and most agreeable in daytime, the sky clear
and of a tropical blue, and Mother Nature is clad in a
pretty green; the nights, however, are decidedly cold and
remind me quite often of the dear ones at the fireside at
home. The mines, too, are said to lack rain, particularly
in the more southern region. A few days ago I had a
very interesting chat with a miner from the San Joaquin
country, who complained greatly about the lack of water
in the "diggings." He claimed to have worked four long
months without being able to wash a handful of the earth.
Having thus spent his money for necessities of life, he
found himself compelled to look for work in San Fran-
cisco until the long-looked-for rain would give him a
chance to sift the proceeds of his months of hard labor.
And there are hundreds of men sharing the same fate
ON AMERICAN SOIL 199
and consequently very dejected and compelled to look for
temporary employment that may stay the tide till St.
Peter opens the channels of relief. The Northern mines,
on the contrary, are filled with snow and ice, which makes
the working of them impossible, though many of the min-
ers, who have spent the winter here, are preparing al-
ready for another season of hard work and uncertain
results. Such is life in the Wild "West.
Meanwhile, I have made the best of the beautiful
weather by taking little excursions into the surrounding
country, which, though picturesque in places, cannot be
called beautiful. The surface is hilly and sandy, covered
with shrubbery and here and there interspersed with
marshes, which are mostly to be found along the bay;
weeds and impenetrable shrubbery grow in abundance
and harbor large numbers of snakes and other reptiles,
as well as wolves and even bears. Sea fowls nest there
in fabulous quantities. The closer to the city, the more
the clearing of the creeks for the purpose of draining has
progressed.
One of the finest spots just outside the city is Monte
Dolores, a hill of about twelve to eighteen hundred feet
in height; from its summit, which it is not difficult to
reach, the visitor has a beautiful panorama before him:
San Francisco with its fine harbor and the Golden Gate;
the bay with its attractive islands on one side and the
Pacific Ocean, in all its majesty, on the other. There is
a boulevard, laid out with planks, which leads from the
Mission Dolores to the foot of the hill and is frequented
on Sundays by pleasure seekers, promenading families,
ladies in elegant carriages, people on horseback, all bent
upon enjoying the sights which Mother Nature presents.
"Were it not for an occasional redman (Indian) or the ever
present yellow Mongolian with his long, coal black queue,
one would fancy one's self transported to one of the much
sought promenades of a German city, for instance, the
ever memorable Hamburg boulevard leading to Blank -
enese (which I have described elsewhere) instead of being
on the far away "Western coast of North America. I won-
200 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
der whether I am safe from your criticism in mentioning
that one may tramp through corn fields and meadows
without being fined, as is customary elsewhere. It is ad-
visable, however, to avoid bands of cattle, which is not
always a safe thing to do. At the foothills especially the
cattle are very plentiful, and they roam about uncared-
for, looking for food, wherever it may be found. Most of
these animals are uncommonly large, powerfully strong
and often decidedly hostile in disposition; they have
large, sharp pointed horns, and an attack upon man is
not at all an unfrequent occurrence. Only a few days
ago it happened that a Kentuckian was attacked in a
neighboring creek by two cows and though he managed
to kill one of them outright with his gun, he was mis-
erably harpooned by the sharp horns of the other and
finally lost his life in the struggle. Still wilder and
consequently more dangerous are the cattle in the in-
land on the other side of the bay, known as " Contra
Costa." To give you a more correct idea of the situa-
tion, I may add that even the Mexican rancheros, known
for their daring and unsurpassed horsemanship, who
are almost born in the saddle and raised among herds of
wild cattle, who never throw their lasso in vain, nor fire
a pistol without hitting the mark, even they, I say,
though provided with tried horses and reliable weapons,
will never venture alone into those herds to catch an ox
for slaughter. The interior of the country is said to be
uncommonly romantic and decidedly picturesque and of
so changeable a character that even the most experi-
enced world-trotters have been surprised at the manifold
grandeur of California scenery. While one may enjoy
for a few moments a typically Dutch rural scene, there
appears suddenly a magnificent mountain view, with its
wild, noisy waters, and impenetrable virgin forests.
While it is perfectly true that the high mountains of
which I gained a very satisfactory view from the neigh-
boring hill-tops, are indeed promising, I shall not art-
tempt to give you the descriptions of other people, but
prefer to wait until I can judge and tell from personal
experience and observation.
ON AMERICAN SOIL 201
San Francisco, California,
the 31st of January, 1852.
As there remain but a few more minutes until the
closing of the European mail, I shall make use of them
by adding a few more words to those, who I know, will
enjoy them. It is so difficult to tear one's self from a
letter, which is homeward bound, across the many thou-
sands of miles, that I cannot let go until "time sets my
nails afire" (German idiom). I am at this hour quite
determined to try my luck in the mines and shall leave
for the interior next Tuesday, the third of February, via
Benicia and Stockton, in order to continue along the
Stanislaus, a branch of the San Joaquin River, then pass-
ing Sonora City, enter the Sierra Nevada as far as I pos-
sibly can. In all probability I shall not return to civili-
zation very soon and, as 3 r ou will easily comprehend, pos-
tal facilities are absolutely unknown in those regions,
many of which have never been visited by a pale-face be-
fore. Of course, it remains an open question how soon
you will receive my next letter, while this one, I trust,
will keep you busy reading and re-reading for many
a day. Do not worry about me, dear parents, and do not
forget that California has ceased to be a nest of robbers
and highwaymen. The severe laws, which the miners
have enacted in their own behalf and for the preserva-
tion of order in their own camps, and which they exe-
cute with unrelenting vigor, frighten away criminals
from the most remote camps. Even the petty thief, if
caught in the act, is sent into eternity by the "rope-
route." As the miners— rough and ready— are in the
habit of doing those things quickly, we should not be sur-
prised that their method has a wholesome effect upon
the long-fingered gentry, most of whom are cowards by
nature, and the miner, though he generally carries a
warm, yea, philanthropically-disposed heart under a
rough exterior, cordially detests cowardice.
The next Panama steamer is due since yesterday and
is expected to arrive ;it almost any moment. I await her
with impatience, hoping sincerely for long-missed news
202 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
from you, which would expel the feeling of uncertainty
as to the personal welfare of every one of my loved ones
at home.
I have openly to confess my great disappointment at
the strange fact of not receiving a single letter from you
upon landing here and cannot deny that it has depressed
and discouraged me for many an hour, and to a great
extent emphasized my disappointment at not obtaining
employment. Please make up for it by writing long let-
ters and real often. It will be advisable to direct the
outer envelope as follows:
Messrs. Gent, Schott, Boettcher & Co.,
San Francisco,
Upper California.
And then put the closed letter into it. The mail will
thus receive quicker attention at the post-office than if it
were directed to me in care of Boettcher. Please give
my very best regards and many thousand greetings to all
the loved ones. Do not worry if you do not hear from
me within the next few months, but write diligently that
I may have plenty to read. I embrace and kiss you all.
God be with vou!
FRANZ LECOUVREUR.
Translator's note:
The following pages contain a few timely quotations
and thoughts, which the young author enclosed in the
above letter, but which had been written on the eve of
his departure from Bartenstein. His well-known ad-
miration for the exiled poet Heine, who was slowly dying
on his mattress-grave, while our friend set foot on Amer-
ican soil, led to the first quotation, which refers to the
unexpected marriage of the poet's fiancee, Amalie,
daughter of Solomon Heine, his multi-millionaire uncle,
a fact which the great lyric bemourned in many songs,
of which the following is one of the shortest:
ON AMERICAN SOIL 203
"Anfangs wollt icli fast verzagen
"Und ich glaubt', ich triig es nie—
"Und ich hab' es doch ertragen,
"Aber fragt' mich nur nicbt wie!"
(Translated:
"First I almost died despairing
"Doubting, that I stand the strain,
"Still, I've borne it without yielding
"How? You ask of me in vain!"
-J. C. B.)
Then follows our young author's own composition:
"When, in the battle of life, the heart of man is seem-
"ingly burning to ashes, in consequence of a stroke of
"fate's own lightning, when he sees drop by drop of his
"heart's blood trickle into dust, let him not despair, but
"rather revive his drooping spirits, as well as his pride,
"both of which, aided by perseverance and self-reliance,
"will help him to victory in all struggles which the fu-
"ture may have in store for him. Help thyself and God
il i<iU help thee.''''
Then follows Riickert's: "Dem Liebesanger," which
translated would read somewhat like this:
TO THE EROTIC SINGER:
If you wish to touch the heart-strings
Of all human kind alike
You should strike the note of sorrow.
Not the melodies of joy.
Many a one finds no enjoyment
During earth-life, and methinks
There is none, who does not carry
Buried troubles in his breast.
-(J.C.B.)
LETTER NO. VIII
Long Bar on the Yuba River, Cal.,
Sunday, February 8th, 1852.
My Beloved Ones: — I hope you will not take it amiss
if I write only a few words to-day; I merely want you to
know where I am at present. As I wrote to you before,
my intention at first was to go to the Southern mines;
unfavorable reports from there, however, made me sud-
denly change my mind, the more so as on the 2nd inst.
(Monday) the younger of the Boettchers made up his
mind to accompany us and share our fate.
The same day at 4 o'clock p. m. we four, that is
Boettcher, Griinhagen, Olias and myself, taking with
us only our blankets, arms and such clothing as was in-
dispensable, started on the steamer "I. Bragdon" for
Sacramento, on the river of the same name, where we
arrived on Tuesday morning at 5 o'clock. At 8 o'clock
we continued our trip up the river on board the "Fash-
ion" and reached Marysville at the junction of the Yuba
with the Feather river, a tributary of the Sacramento,
at 5 p. m. At Marysville we remained over night, and
on Wednesday morning we started upon our journey, of
course afoot. In the evening we arrived here. We found
the bar already taken possession of; not a place left open
that offered a tolerable "prospect," but on the follow-
ing day, in the evening, an American offered to sell us
his claim. We bought it for 75 Dollars, and since noon
of day before yesterday we have been hard at work. Up
to the evening yesterday we had taken out only 10 Dol-
lars; but considering that none of us four are used to
*This Long Bar and Yuba Mining letter is the late Dr. Theo-
dor Wollweber's translation. — J.C.B.
204
IN THE MINING DISTRICT 205
hard labor, that we have never handled the tools, much
less acquired any knack in handling them, and that aside
from this, Olias has been unwell since yesterday and un-
able to work — considering all this it seems to me that
the result is not very bad. The former owner took out
from this claim from 5 to 7 Dollars a day, all by him-
self.
The weather is very clear and pleasant, at noon even
oppressively warm, so that the miners have to suspend
work. Of course during the summer it is much hotter
here; for this reason we do not intend to pass it on this
bar; but will go further up in the mountains, which are
now inaccessible on account of snow.
The work of a miner is now-a-days anything but easy.
To move heavy stones under a burning sun at mid-day,
to loosen the ground with the pick, to shovel it then into
the rocker, to cany 50 or 60 buckets of water a day from
a distance of several hundred yards over a rough, stony
path up and down hill, is no child's play. But then, we
lead a life as free as the bird in the air. The miner is
nobody's master and nobody's slave; there is no law for
him except that which he makes for himself.
In the course of time I shall get used to this work
which as yet causes my back somewhat to ache. If I re-
main well I shall not soon return to San Francisco. This
wild free life, the sweat of the brow, the pistol in the
belt, the pick in hand— this is just what suits me— it dis-
perses thoughts which at times make me feel very heavy
at heart.
Continue to write to me to San Francisco; I have made
arrangements for the prompt and safe delivery of your
letters. It distresses me very much that as yet I have
not received any letters from you. Can it be possible
that they have been lost? I am awaiting your answer
to four letters of mine; Nos. 9 and 10 from Valparaiso,
Xos. 11 and 12 from San Francisco. Yesterday Emil
Boettcher received a letter from Konigsberg; how I en-
vied him! Emil will inclose these lines in his letter to
hi i mother and so T hope that yon will receive them; but
206 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
to say when I shall write again, is more than I can do
now. Do not feel uneasy about me; I am in good health,
and yes, I am in good spirits.
Many thousand kisses to you, my dear mother, and to
you, my beloved, my only sister ; remember me to all.
I must close this, because I must put a new sieve into
our rocker, and it must be done to-day, so that to-mor-
row's sunrise shall find us promptly at work.
To you, my father, a hearty squeeze of the hand from
your true son. F.
Long Bar on the Yuba River, Gal.,
May 6th to 15th, 1852.
My Beloved Ones:— I can well imagine how anxiously
you await news from me, and especially news about the
mines, the much-talked of, often-described and— often
vilified mines. So far I have not found time to describe
them to you, and though I wrote to you twice from here
on February 8th and on April 5th— I could then only in-
timate in a few words that I was physically well.
But now I will not delay my report any longer from
you, and shall use the evenings to write in detail— and
I shall not mail this letter until it has reached quite a
respectable length. To do that will not be a difficult task,
since I have much, very much, to tell you. Ere I pro-
ceed, however, I have to thank you, to thank you with
my whole heart, for the delight which your letters (No.
8) of February 5th have caused me. Boettcher, from
San Francisco, brought them to me in person on the 24th
of April, a little after 10 o'clock a. m. He found me at
work, but not for all the gold in the world could I have
washed another shovelful of dirt. I ran to my tent like
one possessed, and read the letters, and read them over
again until the tears obscured my sight and I could not
distinguish the characters any more. I cannot express
how glad I was. Every word, nay every single letter,
was a treasure to me. If I knew that my letters would
give you the same pleasure I should write from morning
till evening, hard as writing in itself is for me. I hope
to have soon another festival of the same kind.
^ 5 U* *«K^ "I -1 ll I
*
IN THE MINING DISTRICT 207
The mines are not any longer what they have been,
even as late as a j r ear ago, and with all my heart do I
pity those poor fellows who come here with the illusion
that they can make a fortune in a short time, and that
with little work, too. They look exceedingly blue when
they see the daily increasing pile of rocks, and us at work
about them, with the perspiration streaming down under
a burning sun, and that to make only poor wages, which
often stand in no comparison with the amount of work
done.
Nobody with you seems to have a correct idea of
how the gold is found here. The erroneous idea pre-
vails that it is found in pieces of different sizes. By far
the largest quantity of gold found here in California is
washed out by machines of widely different construction
of which more anon.
As there is a difference in the machines used in wash-
ing out the gold, so there is a difference in the Diggings,
or the mines proper. They are divided into the so called
Dry Diggings and Water or Wet Diggings. The former
you will find almost everywhere in this part of California,
gold being— strange to say— to such a degree diffused
throughout the whole soil in many localities that wher-
ever you may wash a pan of dirt, be it in the woods or
in a meadow, on the top of a hill, or in the valley, you
will at least find one or two small "scales" of gold, or to
use the common expression of the miners, you will find
"the color." At first it will not pay you wages, because
dirt that docs not pay at least V/2 cents to the bucketful
is not worth working. But the further you go from the
low laud into the Sierra Nevada, the richer you find the
soil; and dirt that pays 6, 8 or 10 cents or even a dollar
to the bucket is even now no rarity in California. Un-
fortunately such localities are generally so far away from
water that they cannot be worked. Grounds which are
often exceedingly profitable, but which can be worked
only during the rainy season, or with water brought
there in an artificial way, are called Dry Diggings.
Gold is not so much found in the upper region as fur-
208 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
tlier below on the rock— the ''bedrock"— and to reach
that, the miner has often to dig down a hundred feet and
even more; it is, however, by no means certain that he
will find gold there, or in sufficient quantity to pay him
for the hard labor and the time spent in getting there.
Often 3 or 4 men will work for a whole month on such a
hole, and when they reach the bedrock they find perhaps
30 or 40 Dollars, which means that they have thrown
away hard labor, time and money. The sinking of these
shafts in the valleys and ravines is a lottery; but it offers
the only chance here in California to become wealthy
with one stroke; because out of such a shaft (they gener-
ally are 6 or 8 feet square), have been often taken forty
or fifty thousand dollars. Gold at the bottom of such a
hole, on the bedrock, is always found in coarse pieces of
from one dollar to five or six hundred dollars each, and
it lays there in the crevices and on the rock, so that all
you have to do is to scrape it together with a knife.
It is this prospect which, during the summer, draws
every one up to the mountains; and so— should I succeed
during that time in saving a few hundred dollars either
on this or on any other bar— I, too, shall go up to the Dry
Diggings and try my luck there. It is possible that I
may work for several months for nothing; yea, I may
work — and it is hard work I assure you — and lose my
money besides, but it might just be that I may return
with several thousand Dollars. Being a miner now, I
shall try all my chances to make money.
One kind of Dry Diggings are the quartz mines. You
know that often quartz is found containing free gold.
To get that out the rock is reduced to powder in the so-
called quartz mill, and out of that powder the gold is
afterwards extracted. You can imagine that such a
quartz mill is expensive; the outlay for a small one is
about twenty thousand dollars. They can only be estab-
lished where the quartz is rich. Quartz which pays less
than 5 cents per pound will not pay for crushing.
The connecting link between the Diy Diggings and
the Wet Diggings are the Ravine Diggings. The ravines
IN THE MINING DISTRICT 209
which drain the water from the springs to the river are
often found to be rich in gold, and so it pays well at
times to work them; but this also can only be done during
the rainy season, because in the summer and even in the
spring, they are perfectly dry. The gold found there is
generally in fine scales, or in small pieces of the size of a
pin-head, and is only found in the uppermost region,
about 1 or 2 feet below the surface. The more rocky and
the harder the ground, the more gold it usually contains;
light soil with but few rocks in it will not pay wages, not
once in a hundred times.
And now to the Water Diggings or to the so-called
River Bars.
You can get the best idea what a bar is, if you think
of the bleaching ground in Bartenstein; but instead of
the grass, there are at the bar only sand and rocks, simi-
lar to the sea shore. Such bars, alternately larger and
smaller, are found one after the other, on either one or
the other side of the river, just as it changes its course,
and they are on nearly all the rivers of North America
wherever they emerge from the mountains, when they
begin to flow .less swiftly and consequently can deposit
the sand and the stones which the rapid current has torn
loose in the mountains. The higher up in the mountains,
the smaller and the more rocky are the bars, and the
more coarse and heavy is the gold found there— the fur-
ther down the stream, the broader and the more sandy is
the bar, and the finer and lighter the gold.
You are aware that I have as yet not seen much of the
different mining districts of California; but I feel confi-
dent that, if I succeed in giving you a good description
of Long Bar, where I am working now, and of a miner's
life and work, you can form a correct idea of the
bars in general, because in the main they all resemble
each other, and the life of a miner is the same on all of
them.
Long Bar is one of the lowest bars on the right bank
of the Yuba river, a tributary to the Feather river, and
is distant from Marysville a' tout 20 English miles; a very
210 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
good and much frequented country road leads to that
place. Long Bar extends for about a mile up the river
and is divided into three parts, viz.: "Big Bar," so-
called on account of its former richness, miners making
even as late as the last year from 12 to 20 Dollars per
day; then ''the Flat," a level sandy piece of ground 200
or 300 yards wide, covered with a growth of short grass
on such places as are not worked by miners, and where
these find but little gold, seldom more than 2 cents to the
bucket; and lastly the lower end of the bar— "Island
Bar" — evidently formerly an island, since between it and
the higher ground one can yet plainly see the old river
bed, even now in autumn, winter and spring full of water.
This old river bed is called "the slough." The banks
of this slough are covered with brush, just as the some-
what more elevated center of it, which, however, also
shows a few stunted oaks and pines. Elsewhere on the
island one will not notice anything but naked piles of
rocks— desolation itself.
The tents of the miners, the stores and boarding houses,
are not put up on the bar itself, but upon higher ground,
on the bank of the river, which is about as high as the
"Veilchenberge" (Violet Hills) on the "Neue Bleiche"
near Konigsberg— and where they form a continuous
irregular line, so that the whole looks like a village of
tents— about 300 of them— picturesquely scattered and
partly hidden among brushwood and trees.
Behind the tents the ground rises again to a second
terrace, about as high as the first, thus forming a gently
sloping elevation covered with short grass, and here and
there a bit of brushwood; the ridge itself being a con-
stant change of gently undulating hills and dales, and the
whole forming the outermost link between the Sierra
Nevada and the vast, boundless savanna, where the
mighty Sacramento— a stream as broad as the Elbe— in
its slow course absorbs its numerous tributaries.
One can hardly imagine such a variety of lovely land-
scapes as are shown in this part of the country, especially
now, in the spring of the year, when numerous rivulets
IN THE MINING DISTRICT 211
rush through the ravines between overhanging boughs,
and the gigantic evergreen California oaks and aged
pines show in their aromatic twigs the brightest verdure.
The country is not what we call woody; the trees stand
about 30 or 40 feet apart, so that their outer branches
hardly touch each other. The ground between them is
entirely free from underbrush, but is covered with a
dense growth of soft grass, forming a carpet which is in-
terwoven with the brightest and most fragrant flowers.
These flowers which rival the flowers in your gardens in
the splendor of their colors, but surpass them in fra-
grance, often cover the ground so completely that they
even hide the grass; and in the cooling shade of these
oaks one often walks for hundreds of yards, and walks
literally on a carpet of flowers. This belt of undulating
country, never losing its character, is crossed by beauti-
ful rivulets, here meandering between low brushwood
over a gravelly bed, or there rushing in cascades over
moss grown rocks towards the Yuba. For miles and
miles around us the country shows these charming fea-
tures, which though on the whole always the same, con-
stantly present themselves to the eye in a different and
—if possible— more enchanting form. If I had to select
some scenery near my old home, in order to give you an
idea about the country surrounding Long Bar, I should
select the Simser Valley near Meilsberg, where the
"holy" lindentree stands; in looking at that scene there,
think of gigantic oaks here, and of the indescribable
aroma of millions of flowers, so strong that at times it
almost overcomes you. But come with me ; it is Saturday
evening, and I wish to take my usual walk.
We ascend to the second terrace above Long Bar, which
I mentioned before, and follow a serpentine trail which,
running through the most charming natural park, brings
us in about fifteen minutes to the top of a high hill, a
somewhat higher point than the surrounding country.
It is covered with brushwood, through which we have to
find our way ere we reach the summit; through this the
bed-rock has forced its way in the shape of two mighty
212 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
bowlders of granite, wonderfully resembling in shape
and size the Borstenstein at Neu-Kuhren, only that they
tower higher above you by about 15 feet. We climb up
to the top of the larger of the two, and from here we have
a good view of the surrounding country.
Our view towards the North does not extend very far.
Near us a small rivulet passes in its winding course on
towards the Yuba,, now in plain view falling over gray
rocks, then disappearing among brush, to come to light
again as a lakelet, bedded in banks of flowers, its crystal
surface reflecting the purple clouds above. Another
curve and it is again out of sight. This is "Dry Creek."
Its steep bank on yonder side bars your view in that di-
rection, and so we turn towards the East.
Here, terrace upon terrace, rise the hills, higher and
higher, steeper and steeper, and more and more densely
wooded, until we gaze in the far distance upon the peaks
of the Sierra Nevada, covered with eternal snow and ice,
and now bathed in violet tints of the setting sun. The
character of the landscape in this direction is melancholy,
almost sad; nothing animate, no human habitation in
sight; mountains upon mountains, and only high above
in the air you may at times see an eagle, hardly visible
to the naked eye, slowly sailing in circles in the clear at-
mosphere; or perhaps from yonder tree the shrill screech
of a raven may at times reach your ear.
Towards the South we have the whole bar before us
from end to end. Among the gloomy, desolate-looking
piles of rocks, which, however, at this moment, bathed in
a rosy tint of the evening sun, appear in their best light,
we see yet here and there an exceptionally industrious
miner. The most of them, however, are at this moment
climbing up to their tents, carrying in their arms the tin
pans with the gold, which they have taken out during the
day— their wages gained by hard labor. Nearer to us,
on this side of the bar and glistening white among the
green foliage, you see the tents; and out of the chimneys
here and there you will notice the smoke curling up, a
sign that the occupant is busy preparing his frugal eve-
IX THE MINING DISTRICT 213
ning meal. Yonder the Yuba— a river now in the spring
fully as broad as the Pregel — lines the bar as with a band
of silver, and its bank beyond with the same character-
istics you observe on this side, ends the panorama in
that direction.
And now a look toward the West over the broad, level
savanna, where the Yuba empties into the Feather river,
and this again further on into the Sacramento. This im-
mense plain extends almost without any interruption up
to the chain of mountains, which line the Pacific coast,
far beyond our horizon. The vista, is broken by the
"Butes" only— eight or ten conical mountains, six or
eight hundred feet high, rising abruptly out of the plain
between the Sacramento and Feather rivers, and close to
one another, but separated by deep ravines, whose bot-
toms are densely wooded — the abode of numberless griz-
zly bears.
I feel, nay I am convinced, that my description of the
scenery here cannot impress you in such a manner as to
do it justice. If, however, you were to read it on a mild,
fair evening in summer, somewhere in the quiet, pleasant
Simserthal, you might conceive a better idea of what it
really is. Now let us return to the Bar.
I told you before that gold is washed out by different
kinds of machines. Here at the bar there are four dif-
ferent kinds in use. The Rocker or Cradle, the Bull-
rocker, the simple and the double Long Tom.
Anyone who prefers to remain by himself and wants
to do without a partner, has to use the rocker, because
the last named three machines cannot be worked by one
man alone, but require more hands. The rocker or cra-
dle, as some call it, with which I, too, have worked, is a
box 18 inches wide and l 1 /^ or 5 feet long. It rests slight-
ly inclining forward on two runners, or rockers, so that
by means of a handle (a), which is fastened to its left
side, it may easily be rocked ju^t like a cradle. On top
of the rear end, i. e., the higher end of the rocker, is a
sieve (b), made of sheet iron about two feet long and of
the same width as the rocker, which can be removed.
214 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
Below this sieve and slanting toward the rear end, is
placed the so-called "apron" (c), made of strong cot-
ton cloth and fastened to a frame. The object of this is
to conduct everything that goes through the sieve to the
rear end of the rocker.
* The drawing here will
I ^ help to make you under-
j/^j . *^r. rq^ stand that. The for-
^^]p '-v^c 'A ward or lower end of
^ — r\- ~rt^ZT ^ ie k° x i s open, only a
^Q^jb^ c_^~~— -- narrow lath — li/4 or
" °* v - -^ l 1 /-? inches wide — is
nailed across it at the
bottom; this is called the "riffle." The modus op-
erandi is very simple. A bucketful of dirt, with stones
and all, just as you have loosened it with the pick, is
thrown on the sieve, and then while you set the
rocker in motion with the left hand, with a dipper in your
right you pour water over the dirt on the sieve. As soon
as the soil is washed off the stones these are thrown out
and a second bucket of dirt is thrown on the sieve, and
this again is treated like the first, and so on until you
have washed about 20 or 25 bucketfuls. By the motion of
the rocker the gold and heavy sand are collected on its
bottom, while the lighter stuff is washed off over the rif-
fle; this lighter stuff we call "tailings." The residue
which has collected on the bottom of the rocker is now
very carefully scraped together at the rear end of it, is
then treated again to three or four washings, and now
we have the gold mixed only with some black ferruginous
sand, but free from all other matter; it is now taken up
and thrown into a tin or sheet-iron pan— a pan about 4
inches deep, in diameter about 16 inches on top and 12
inches at the bottom. The last work before evening is
then to wash in this pan the black sand off the gold, a
procedure requiring much dexterity, the sand being al-
most as heavy as the gold itself, so that one not used to
the work, is apt to wash away gold and sand together.
Any grains of sand which, on account of their being too
IN THE MINING DISTRICT 215
heavy, we cannot separate from the gold by washing,
we get rid of by first drying the whole thoroughly; then
we put it on a small tray and blow the sand away.
In reading this description you will not think that our
labor is as heavy as it really is. Believe me, it is as ex-
acting, mechanical labor as can be done; and is intensely
so to one not accustomed to manual labor. The hard
stony soil has first to be loosened with a pick; then the
larger stones— often so heavy that they can hardly be
moved, have to be Tolled aside; next the dirt must be
shoveled together, and must then be carried to the rock-
er. Now consider that we have to remove the top dirt
before we reach the soil in which we find the gold; (on
the place where I am at work now I have to remove 5 or
6 feet of rocks — at times even more) that I have to carry
daily 40 or 50 pails of water a distance of from 200 to
300 yards over rough, loose rocks, that we have to work
in narrow holes or shafts from 6 to 10 feet deep, where
one never feels a draught of air, but where he is exposed
to a sun so hot that he can hardly touch the stones with
his hand; if you think of that you will concede that to
chop wood is in comparison with this, justly considered
to be light work. But one gets used to everything, and
so have I got used to this work, which now is not half as
hard on me as it was at first, though I am able to do al-
most as much again as I did at first. But I have made
it a rule not to over-exert myself; whenever I am tired or
do not feel like working I stop; I always bear in mind
that my health is my only capital, which I have to hus-
band most carefully. Yet I am making more money than
many others, because I attend to my work in an even
way without hurrying or exerting myself too much.
Almost of the same construction as the rocker above
described is the "bull rocker," only with this difference
that it is larger, generally 2 feet wide and about 6 feet
long, and that the iron sieve which covers the whole
length of it is open at the lower end, so that the rocks
after being washed will by the motion of the rocker drop
off by themselves, and the sieve needs not to be emptied,
by hand, as with the small rocker.
210 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
The single "Long Tom" consists of a wooden box, open
at the lower end, 12 or 15 feet long and about 12 inches
wide — the so-called "sluice box." The lower end of this
is placed on a sieve, which is usually 6 feet long and 2%
feet wide. About 15 inches below this sieve is placed the
riffle box, which is of the same width, but about 8 feet
long, and divided into two parts by nailing a piece of lath
about IV2 or 1% inches wide across it; the rear portion is
about 5 feet, the front portion about 3 feet long. It re-
quires 3 men to work a Long Tom. Two of them loosen
the ground and throw it into the sluice box, into which a
stream of water is conducted which in washing the rocks
carries them also forward and on the sieve. On this sieve
the stones collect, and from here the third man removes
them with a shovel; everything else goes through the
sieve and into the riffle box, where the gold and the black
sand are deposited, while the lighter stuff is carried off
as tailings. With these machines you have the advan-
tage that you are able to wash a great deal of soil with
them. While one man alone can with a rocker, under
the most favorable conditions, when water is close by and
the dirt easily picked, wash at best only about 250 bucket -
fuls, 3 men with a Long Tom can easily handle from 12
to 15 hundred bucketfuls.
The Double Long Tom differs from the single only in
that it has two sieves instead of one— a second and finer
sieve being placed about 6 or 8 inches below the first,
and that the riffle box, instead of two is divided into 3 or
4 parts, the two at the rear end being placed about 6
inches higher than those in front. The Double Long Tom
is mostly used where very fine gold is found, which it
more effectually saves than do the other machines.
IN THE .MINING DISTRICT 217
Such are Hie tools we work with; they arc rather rough
and primitive; and rough and primitive is the life we
lead. (The theory on which they work is based on the
fact that gold is heavier than sand or rocks.)
Up to the beginning of last month I took board and
lodging at one of the boarding houses here, for which
I had to pay eight dollars per week. Since then I live by
myself and do my own cooking, and that costs me hardly
four dollars a week. I am certain mother and Marie will
ask here together: but what does he cook? Answer: the
same things that every one else here in the mines cooks.
Pancakes (here called slapjacks) made of flour, water and
lard; dumplings, beans, gruel, rice and dry fruits are
about all we can have here. Beefsteaks are too expensive,
and for this reason I eat them but seldom, and so arc
potatoes at 10 cents a pound; bread I use only occasion-
ally, for instance, when I have a visitor.
I live in a tent which, however, does not belong to me
but to a Southern German, an elderly man, who, while out
hunting in November last, had the misfortune to wound
himself so severely in the right foot — the gun going off
accidentally— that even now he can use it but very little,
and is still unable to work. He occupies the tent with
me. In front of my tent and close by the road is a store
and boarding house, kept by a young American of Ger-
man descent. My other neighbors are a ship carpenter
from Hamburg and Carl Kamke, a sailor from Dantzig,
with his partner, an old Hollander. But though I live
here in a "German corner" you would not hear any more
Gennan spoken around us than anywhere else on the bar,
because strange as it may seem it is nevertheless true that
the Germans here, even when among themselves, give
preference to the "American" language. There are men
here with whom I have been in daily intercourse for
months before I found out that they are Germans.
I think that nowhere in the world are the characteris-
tics of a man so fully developed as here in the mines.
Everyone lives according to his own fashion or liking
without paying any attention to the ways of his neigh-
218 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
bor, and that is just what makes life in the mines so free
and pleasant. There is no distinction of rank ; everybody
is his own boss; I do not meddle with anybody's affairs
just as nobody else would dare to interfere with mine.
The manner in which one man approaches another is
characteristic of the life here. The usual way of address-
ing a young man is to call him "boy;" or one man calls
another in a joking way ' ' Captain ' ' or ' ' Boots. ' ' The lat-
ter nickname they here give to one another on account
of the high boots which everybody wears. Generally,
however, people address one another by their first names,
and you may be acquainted with a man for years without
ever learning his family name or anything about his pri-
vate affairs. But since many men have the same first
name they are distinguished from one another by cer-
tain epithets, and by these they are known at the bar.
There is, for instance, a "long Johnny" and a "little
Johnny," a "Swedish Johnny" and a "Johnny Snakes."
The latter received his nickname on account of his being
often drunk; and when a man gets drunk they say that
he is "looking for snakes." Then there is a "red
Johnny" and a "blue Johnny," according to the color
of their shirts. I myself — to distinguish me from
another namesake, am called "Doctor Frank" or
"Colonel Frank." Corresponding to this free mode of
addressing one another is the ordinary daily intercourse;
nothing is easier than to get acquainted with one
another, yet without ever becoming intimate, in one word
—"sailor-like" well describes the whole situation.
Everywhere you hear people laugh, joke or sing, and if
you ask anybody: "how goes it?"— ninety-nine times out
of a hundred he will answer you: "First rate," that is,
excellently.
Though most of the miners have been sailors or are
men used to manual labor, there is no lack of represent-
atives of the educated class. I am acquainted here with
several former clerks and supercargoes, one lawyer, a
Greek, formerly an officer of engineers, a professor from
the University of Strassburg, etc. My best friend, how-
IN THE MINING DISTRICT 219
ever, and lie has proved himself to be such indeed, is and
always will be that sailor from Dantzig, whom I men-
tioned before, Charley , commonly called Charley
Long Tom, because he works with me on such a machine;
a square shouldered fellow, face and mustache a brownish
red; "an old miner," which is to say, that in his whole
appearance he resembles more a highwayman than any-
thing else. I am certain that if ten or twelve of us were
to show ourselves on the road anywhere in Prussia,
dressed and equipped as we are here, with blankets rolled
up and rifles on our shoulders, the military would be
called out at once to place the dangerous vagabonds be-
hind locks and bars.
Our dress is sailor-like, suitable to the hot climate; a
red or blue flannel shirt, gray corduroy trousers fastened
above the hips with a leather belt or silk scarf, wherein
also a long knife is carried, or— when away from home—
a revolver; high waterproof boots, and either a broad-
brimmed brown felt or a straw hat. Now think of such a
suit being tattered and patched up everywhere, for in-
stance on a blue shirt a red patch, or on gray pantaloons
a black and next to that a light green patch; the whole
person from head to foot bespattered with mud, and you
have the miner in his nevertheless highly picturesque
costume.
Notwithstanding all this, I am satisfied, more than sat-
isfied, with my lot. This free life, so full of charm be-
cause free, and without the slightest restraint, the sur-
rounding country a perfect paradise, the work heavy, but
in a manner voluntary— as one day's labor gives me
enough to satisfy my wants for a whole week— this same
free life refreshes me physically and mentally! Day by
day I feel more vigorous, more easy and more cheerful,
and if this is to continue I shall within a year be as
healthy a man as there is in God's world! Even tooth-
ache I have not had since I put my foot on California's
soil. And indeed how strong have I become! You ought
to see the rocks I have to move or lift every day; some
of them are large enough to scare the devil — if he were
compelled to lift them!
220 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
It looks now as if we were going to have continued fair
weather. If this should be so, I shall soon again have
some money in my pocket. Since my last letter (April
5th) I have paid all my debts,* and have about thirty
dollars left— not much, but it is something— at any rate
better than nothing.
I do not know yet if I shall remain all summer on this
bar; to be honest I must confess that the delight of travel-
ing makes me restless again; I shall be guided by circum-
stances. To determine here upon a trip of — say — three,
four or five hundred miles, and to start upon it is usually
all done within an hour; all a man has to do is to roll up
his blankets, and with a couple of shirts and an ax, and
his rifle on his shoulder he is ready to rove through Cali-
fornia in any direction. I am thinking of going to the
Trinity river, a tributary to the Klamath in Oregon. The
river is rich and has been mined but little ; a great many
are afraid of the climate; the winter there brings snow
and ice.
Ere I finish this I glance again at your letter. You
ask me, my dear father, if the sun has not bronzed me
considerably and add that that would form a nice con-
trast with my blond hair. Yes— I am bronzed consid-
erably, but— I am sorry to say— the contrast is not
very pleasing, because the color of my sunburnt skin
is of such an infernal dirty yellowish hue that anywhere
in Europe I would be suspected of not having touched
soap and water for at least six months, and that is any-
thing but pleasant.
Thanks for the latest news from papers. How glad I
Through an inundation caused by a rapid rising of the river
(the Yuba rose about 15 feet) the writer lost all he had, and
was even in danger of losing his life during several hours. To
supply himself again with the most indispensable things at exorbi-
tant prices however, a rocker at 24 dollars, a shovel at six, a pick
at four and one-half dollars, and everything else at the same
rate ; and having been severely hurt on his right foot and thereby
confined to bed for several weeks, the writer of the letter was
compelled to borrow some money.
IN THE MINING DISTRICT 221
am that I can drink deep from nature here in my Cali-
i'ornian paradise, and that I can turn my back on politics.
Poor * * is really to be pitied, though I am not
surprised at her fate. It is well for her that she has
found a home, and perhaps assistance with her sisters;
yet it is hard, after having been independent, to become
dependent again upon others, and to have to live on
charity; for charity it is, though it be the charity of lov-
ing relatives.
Marie's friends are going off rapidly, I see. And so
* * * got married? Girls are said to be desirous of
marrying, and Heine says: "* * married just out
of sheer spite the first man she came across." But this
time it seems the desire has been with one of our own
sex. How could a man marry * * *f Why, he must
be an imbecile! With my whole heart do I congratulate
* * * however. It is true she had her faults, but they
were few, and who of us is entirely free from them? I
have no doubt by this time she has become more sensible.
Usually no pretty girl becomes endurable before her
18th year, or sensible before her 22d. Ugly girls be-
come so before that time. Her intended, it seems to me,
is one of those young men of whom it takes just twelve
to make a dozen. I believe, however, that he is just of
the sort that furnishes the best husbands. Of all the girls
poor * * * has chosen the better part. Death has
summoned her just at the right time; ere she had to face
the troubles and distress which would surely have sent
her to an early grave, after having chosen such a com-
panion for life. 3,1 any a poor wife— now slowly wasting
away in anguish— will envy * * *'s lot which appears
sad only at first.
I am glad to hear that Carl is doing well as an agricul-
turist. If he were not married yet and out of business
1 should advise him to come out here at once. Strong
and active as he is, he would do well here, especially if
lie hail some ready money. As yet there is little farm-
ing done, hut fanners here have it mnch easier than in
the eastern states, since tli»> ground is easier worked, and
222 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
it is less difficult to find a market for their produce, and
at better prices too; and all that with scarcely any heavier
expenses than there. With ten or twelve hundred dol-
lars one can start a farm, because the most splendid soil
will not cost him anything, and he can take as much land
as he pleases ; all the law requires is that he should put
a fence around it and that proves possession.
Speaking about fanning reminds me of a subject I
came near forgetting, though I know you wish to
hear about it, namely, the Indians. They roam about
the country in large bands, steal like ravens, but are
otherwise peaceable, and if a man be alone and should
happen to fall in with them, he need not be uneasy as long
as their greediness does not get the better of them. The
Indians here dress in a half civilized way; they wear flan-
nel shirts and at times even pantaloons and boots. The
squaws, that is, the Indian women, wear short striped
petticoats, and around the shoulders they throw a large
shawl of the brightest colors, in the same manner as the
Mexican women. I can not say that they are a handsome
race. They are of small stature, and their broad, flat
faces are void of expression. Men and women alike wear
their long, coarse, black hair tied behind into a thick
knot, and ornament it in an odd manner with gaudy
feathers, silver and gold tinsel, red rags, etc.
A few days ago I happened to get amongst a whole
tribe of them. I had taken a walk to Independence Flat,
about six miles below here, to see Boettcher and Griin-
hagen, who are at work there. On returning in the even-
ing and taking a straight cut through the woods I met
about thirty of them, all armed with long knives and with
bows and arrows. They were very friendly, invited me to
sit down near their fire and to have a drink and a smoke
with them. My spectacles became an object of especial
interest to them, and caused many an "Ugh" and "Oh."
Several of them even put them on their noses, and then
very gravely shook their heads and returned them to me.
In parenthesis, I would like to ask a certain young lady
a question, supposing that she should see this letter, and
IN THE MINING DISTRICT 223
that she should remember the young man and his toilet,
who had the honor to open the last ball with her at the
"Clerks' Club" in 1851. I wonder if in that sunburnt
fellow, looking somewhat like a gipsy with his boots cov-
ered with mud, his coarse flannel shirt, knife and revolver
in his belt, as he stretched himself under that old oak
tree, the short black clay pipe between his teeth, and in
front of him a blazing fire of brushwood sending up its
flames and throwing a flickering light on him and on the
wild, shaggy figures of the red men around him, I won-
der if she would have recognized in him her former part-
ner in evening dress? I asked myself that question on
that evening, and I had a good laugh to myself about the
difference in my outward appearance then and now.
Well, this will do for the present. Boettcher is here
and asks me to close, so that we may send our letters to-
gether to San Francisco, and from there onward to our
beloved ones at home. Believe me— considering circum-
stances—I am happy and contented and perfectly well. I
would feel entirely comfortable here if I had not left my
heart at home.
Write often to me; even about the most insignificant
daily occurrences and trifles. You have no idea how
they all interest me. From Rosenstock and from Carl I
hope soon to receive full reports about my acquaintances
in Konigsberg.
As a curiosity I inclose a few more scales of gold; I
doubt if they will keep but I will try anyhow. Should
they be lost, it would not matter much; and should you
receive them, I know that they will give you pleasure.
So let us try it. I have, however, selected the largest
scales I had. The gold here is generally finer than the
samples I send.
And now farewell; a thousand "herzliche Gruesse" to
all my beloved ones!
With love as ever, your
F.
224 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
Long Bar, Yuba River, Cal.,
(Begun) Sept. 1st, 1852.
Though I only the other day mailed my letter No. 16,
I shall now begin to make good my promise to give you
a detailed account of events; and since my letter written
on Nelson Creek, of which I made mention in my last, has
become almost illegible by wear and tear, I will begin
this letter by first copying the former.
On Nelson Creek Near Hopkinsville,
In the beginning of July, 1852.
And so I am here at last, far up in the Sierra Nevada,
on the line of the eternal snow.
When I wrote my last letter at Long Bar I not only
scarcely knew this place by name, but I certainly never
thought of passing the summer up here in the wilderness.
But that is the way here in California, no one can predict
at any given time either where he will be or what will be-
come of him, say, within the next eight days. In my last
letter I told you how few preparations it requires here for
any kind of a trip, and how little time it takes a man to
make up his mind about it, and to start on it; that is ex-
actly how it came about with me.
On "Wednesday, June 2d, at about 3 o'clock in the aft-
ernoon, as I was at work, Charles Kamke came to me and
asked me if I would go with him to Nelson Creek; a Ger-
man from there had come to Long Bar to hire some men,
and that we might find him on the next day in the fore-
noon at the "Wisconsin House," about ten miles from
Long Bar, and there make our arrangements with him.
You will see that I did not have much time to make up
my mind; I went to my tent, packed up my bundle and
put rifle and revolver in order; then I brought my rocker
and other tools from the bar and placed them where they
would be safe during my absence; and on the following
morning I was ready to start on a trip of about 150 miles.
On Thursday, June 3d, at sunrise I ate my last pancake
at Long Bar, and then turned ni} 7 back on the place,
where I had made my debut as a. miner, accompanied by
IN THE MINING DISTRICT 225
three other Germans, who also wanted to go up into the
mountains, and by some friends who wished to accom-
pany us to the " Wisconsin House" to see us off. We all
carried rather heavy loads. Each one had about thirty
pounds in his pack besides two or three blankets, pick,
shovel, gun, pistol and hatchet. The morning was de-
lightful; birds sang merrily in the old oak trees, the air
was cool and balmy; we were all in good humor and good
spirits, and so as we stepped forth on our way over the
green velvety turf, all of our worldly goods on our backs
or in our pockets, we did not deem the loads we carried
to be too heavy, and many a merry sailor song awoke the
echoes among the green sunclad hills.
As we did not hurry over much, it was about 9 o'clock
when we reached the edge of the prairie, along which
our road now led us and at 11 o'clock we came to the
"Wisconsin House," our place of rendezvous. AVe threw
our bundles down in the shade of an old oak tree, and,
stretching ourselves at full length on the grass, we
awaited the arrival of our man from Marysville. From
our resting place we had a good view of the prairie as it
stretched before us, unbounded, cheerless, bare of bush
and tree, covered only with short, coarse grass. For
miles the eye could follow the serpentine course of the
wagon road, running like a fine red thread over the
plain. From a cloudless sky the sun poured down
its fiery heat, and over the prairie the air quivered
as it does over a raging fire. Away from the road
no sign of life; on the road itself, however, it was
different. Trains of pack-mules would pass us every now
and then, led by "mulcros" (mule drivers) in gay old
Spanish costumes, their dark, sunburnt faces shaded by
broad brimmed felt hats, the long rifle in front on the
saddle, and knife and pistol in their belt. They reminded
me of Italian bandits as they galloped past us on their
small, half-tamed horses, now in front and n<>\\- behind the
long line of heavily burdened mules; now keeping them
hack and now urging them on by tin 1 use of their lassoes,
their most dangerous weapon, which every one of them
15
226 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
carries on the pommel of his saddle. They are a wild,
dangerous set, these "muleros." Mostly Mexicans, they
have very little love for the foreign intruder in— what
they still consider— their own country; and when a man
is alone on the road, he does well to keep out of their way
— for they are exceedingly handy with their long knives,
and a murder will not weigh heavily on their consciences.
More peaceful were the so-called teamsters to look at,
mostly Americans or Germans, who passed us with their
wagons, each drawn by six or eight oxen. Urging on
their slow, powerful animals with an incessant "hi-ho-
ah," and with their enormous 20 feet long leather whips,
which to swing requires strength and dexterity, they all
had a "good morning" or some other kind word for us
as they passed by.
"Gentlemen," too, passed us, mounted on fine horses
or mules. They were merchants or their clerks, going
perhaps to the nearest postoffice or visiting the mines on
business. Some abominable tourists we saw, too; these
fellows go about the country and stare at the mines and
miners as they would at wild beasts in a menagerie.
The most pleasant to encounter, often without any
arms whatever and their bundles reduced to a minimum,
were traveling miners like ourselves, who either were
going up to the mountains full of hope or returning from
them. Thep stopped with us, chatted for a few minutes
and then went on again wishing us "good luck."
Such was the procession that passed us as we lay that
day at noontime in the cooling shade of that old oak-
tree, smoking old black clay pipes, and chatting with our
friends from Long Bar, who had come to see us off.
At last at 2 o'clock Kothrock, our man from Nelson
Creek, arrived with his team drawn by eight powerful
oxen. "We presented ourselves and were accepted at once,
with the understanding that our wages should be the
same as those paid by others on Nelson Creek at the
time of our arrival there. After we had sealed the con-
tract by a drink at the "Wisconsin House," we loaded
our baggage on the wagon with the exception of our
IN THE MINI\ T G DISTRICT 227
arms, and then our little company started on its march.
We were: Rothrock, the teamster; Fritz Giinther, bis
brother-in-law, both German- Americans, and lately from
Jefferson City; Charles Kamke from Dantzig; August
Braun from Memel ; a young man named Reinhard, and
Fritz Schmetzer, whom Rothrock had brought from
Marysville, and myself.
As I mentioned before, the "Wisconsin House" is at
the edge of the Sacramento valley, about 14 miles North-
east from Marysville, about midway between the Yuba
and the Feather rivers. The country which we crossed
on that hot afternoon of our first traveling day, offered a
perfect parallel to the lovely landscape around Long Bar,
which I have tried to describe in my former letter.
Among the softly undulating hills lay the valleys with
their carpet of flowers and their old oak trees, and here
and there a cozy farm house. Of these we encountered
six or seven during that afternoon. Situated as they are
on the only road that runs at present between the Yuba
and the Feather rivers to the Sierra Nevada, they are
kept as inns, and the board we get there is good. Espe-
cially one of these houses pleased me very much— the
"Galena House"— as well on account of its picturesque
situation as of the toute ensemble, the owner a German-
American— having built it in the style of a Swiss cot-
tage, probably as a compliment to his young wife, a na-
tive of Switzerland.
AMi en you travel with an ox team, you do not get over
the ground as fast as you would on the wim:;s of Pega-
sus. Sauntering slowly along we took a good view of
all we encountered on the road— teams, horsemen and
mule trains, who from afar announced themselves
through the bells of their leaders; but what pleased us
most were the constantly changing, charming landscapes,
which the now setting sun covered with a purple tint.
It was after sundown when we came to a halt on a mea-
dow in a valley near the "Tennessee House," about 20
miles from the "Wisconsin." On the bank of a small
laughing stream, under an oak tree heavy with age, on
228 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
a spot covered with the softest and greenest grass, we
kindled a blazing fire, and soon had a large coffee pot
humming. Two frying pans were at once set agoing, and
so, while the bells of the cattle furnished the music, we
disposed of our plain miners' supper in even less time
than it had taken to prepare it. Then every one of us
pulled out his short clay pipe, and yarns were in order
until the fire getting smaller and feebler, finally sank
down in embers and ashes. One after another we spread
our blankets on the ground; each one placed his arms
alongside, and shoved a rock, a piece of wood or some
such thing under his head, so as to rest more comfort-
ably; the conversation at first lively, became by degrees
more and more dull, and the answers came faint and in
monosyllables, until at last the eyelids dropped and we
became silent.
On the following morning when the first rays of the
rising sun lighted the tops of the trees in our valley our
breakfast was already disposed of, our oxen were yoked
up, and we started again upon our journey. The coun-
try through which we now passed had the same char-
acter as on the day before, only it showed less cultiva-
tion; the hills became steeper and steeper, so steep in
fact that our oxen often had hard work to pull the wagon
with its heavy load up to the summit, and in going down
again, we had to put the drag chain on both hind wheels.
Among the oaks we noticed more and more firs and pines,
and the foliage became at last so dense that only at rare
intervals could we get a good view of the surrounding
country. Towards noon we reached a beautiful large
valley, entirely open, with a Mexican ranch on it, the
' 'Indiana Ranch," which, however, had not a very good
reputation. Here we rested ourselves for about an hour,
and then continued our journey. Just behind the "In-
diana Ranch" we passed a pleasant little mining camp,
Toll's New Diggings, and then began the ascent. That
was a pretty tough piece of work! From here the road
leads upward continuously and is very steep for about 3
miles; but not only that, the road is here also much less
IN THE MINING DISTRICT 229
traveled than below and is not covered with rocks, but
with veritable boulders in such a way that in places a
pedestrian has trouble to get over them. Here it was
where I got my first idea of a California mountain road.
About a mile beyond Toll's Diggings we became satisfied
that neither the oxen would be able to draw the load any
further, nor that the wheels would stand any longer the
terrible jolting they constantly received by slipping off
the rocks into holes 2 and 2V2 feet deep. So there was no
help for it— we had to take half the load off the wagon,
pile the things up on the side of the road, and leaving
myself and Reinhard in charge, the others continued on
their way. Towards sundown our teamster returned for
the rest of the load; but our oxen came near giving out,
consequently we did not reach camp until long after sun-
down. I was very glad that our friends had supper ready
for us. Our canrping place was on top of a big hill,
densely covered with firs and pines— oaks not appearing
any more here— and about a hundred yards away from
a deserted Indian village whose half-round mud huts, or
the so-called "wigwams," were yet in a fair condition.
On account of the many poisonous snakes which, infest
just such places as deserted huts or hollow trees, we pre-
ferred to spread our blankets under the blue canopy of
heaven, though the air was rather chilly, and the huts
would have offered us good protection against the cold—
I must say the snakes here are not to be trifled with. I
alone killed no less than five of them on that afternoon,
two of thorn being rattlesnakes — one about five feet long;
and one a whipsnake, a snake about as thick as a finger,
of brilliant colors, whose bite is said to be absolutely fatal.
The smaller one of the two rattlesnakes I clubbed with
the butt of my pistol not five yards away from the place
where I afterwards spread my blankets for the night. I
must confess that I felt a little uncomfortable on retiring
on that evening, and I felt nervous whenever I heard a
ground squirrel or anything else move. At last fatigue
got the better of me, and 1 slept soundly till morning,
dreaming that a large rattlesnake had the pious intention
of devouring mo, skin and hair— and then I awoke,
230 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
On Saturday, June 5th, our progress began to be diffi-
cult. Constantly up and down steep mountains, through
a dense gloomy forest of firs and pines, showing but sel-
dom an open space, the road was a genuine mountain
trail, rocky and narrow. It led along the edges of fright-
ful precipices, and at times in going down the ravines it
was SO' steep that not only did we have to clog three of
the wheels, but we had to cut down some of the small fir
trees and fasten them to the wagon, so as to help in hold-
ing it back. In spite of all these precautions it would
at times shoot forward with such a velocity that for a mo-
ment I gave up all hope of ever seeing it or the two old
oxen, the leaders, again, who alone were left in the yoke
at places like these. By hard work we managed to reach
"Frenchman's Ranch," a cluster of five or six houses on
the South Fork of the Feather River, at high noon, and
here we took a short rest.
After starting again I remained yet for a short time
with the team; but, getting disgusted with the continual
yelling and the whipping of the poor animals, I stole off,
i. e., I walked ahead, at first slowly and then faster. I
soon found myself alone on the road which I followed now
more leisurely— my rifle on my shoulder. Silence like
that of a sepulcher lay over the primeval forest around
me, and the sighing of the trees rather increased than
disturbed it.
This was a virgin forest! Dense brushwood covered
the ground between these giants which had witnessed the
change of winter and summer for centuries. There they
stood; the mighty yellow pine, the sombre black fir, and
the slender, magnificent cedar, "the gazelle among
trees," running up straight as an arrow, often two hun-
dred feet high, into the clear, blue atmosphere. Many
of them had fulfilled their destiny and paid the debt of
nature. Phantom-like stood the immense trunks, often
eight feet in diameter, and a hundred feet high, devoid
of bark and branches, and bleached by storms of count-
less years as they looked down on the wanderer, or show-
ing by their charred or blackened stems that they had
IN THE MINING DISTRICT 231
been blasted by a scorching fire. Many lay almost buried
under the coppice, covered with moss and vines, and—
according to the eternal law of nature— returning to
earth.
The grandeur of the scenery, the solemn unbroken still-
ness invited graver thoughts, and so I fell involuntarily
into one of those reveries, to give way to which has ever
been an inveterate tendency with me from early youth.
With my eyes on the ground before me I sauntered along,
faster or slower, nolens volens, keeping time with the
train of thoughts as they were influenced by heart or
head. I did not notice that the shadows of the old trees
grew longer and longer as they fell on the intricate maze
of undergrowth, when a sudden turn of the road brought
me to a clearing, and I beheld as lovely a landscape as
the pen of a Lessing or the brush of a Behrendsen can
produce — the most gentle idyll which the pure fancy of a
Voss can conceive or describe in poetry. In the middle
of a small narrow valley or rather meadow, watered by
a beautiful rivulet, stood a log house, which, however,
did not look as if the ax of a back woodsman had had
much to do with its construction; or as if it had been put
up only for the purpose of affording shelter. It looked
rather as if it had been built by a skilful carpenter for
the park of some wealthy artist. The ground around the
house was neatly fenced in with pickets, and well stocked
with poultry and pigs, while near by in the meadow—
also surrounded by a good fence— were half a dozen cows,
whose bells were tinkling at every motion. The shades of
evening had settled over the larger part of the little val-
ley, including the spot where I stood as if spellbound on
beholding the beautiful view before me, but the house
itself and the small open space in front of it lay yet in
the light of the setting sun, whose last rays were breaking
through the tops of the firs and cedars which covered
the surrounding hills. A cedar log, roughly trimmed by
an ax, lay in front of the house, and was at this moment
the center of one of the most picturesque groups I ever
beheld.
232 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
Oil the log sat an old man, dressed in a suit of coarse
gray cloth, a brown felt hat covering his white hair. On
his knees he held several open letters, one of which he
seemed to be reading aloud to the persons surrounding
him. These were a young woman, of twenty years or
more, dressed as the wives of American farmers are
usually dressed; she had dropped her needlework in her
lap, leaning forward with her intelligent, sunburnt face
turned fully to'wards the old man, the better to listen to
his words. On the opposite side of the patriarch— on
the ground— sat a boy about 14 or 15 years of age, his
knees drawn up to his chin, and his hands folded in front,
so as not to lose his balance. Behind the boy stood a man
leaning on a long rifle, with which he had probably at
that moment returned from a hunt, dressed like a farmer,
the broad-brimmed hat shading a handsome, manly face
— and also listening attentively to the reading of the let-
ters. A few yards away two children— a boy about six
and a little girl about four years old— were playing near
a draw well, constructed just as we have them in the
country at home, and this gave to the whole scene some-
thing very pleasant and homelike. The last figure of the
group, a young man about 20 years old, stood near the
road unharnessing a pair of mules.
For a short time I forgot everything in looking at the
lovely idyll, and it was only when the old man folded up
his letters and turned around that I awoke from my rev-
erie, and following a natural impulse I approached them.
My first expedient was to ask for some water, and much
quicker than I could have hoped, I found myself engaged
in a, conversation with the old man and his daughter, the
wife of the farmer. The latter was very communicative,
and still excited by the good news received, and appar-
ently forgetting that I was a stranger, she let me into
some of the family affairs by telling me how the letters
said that her sister Lucy had married a rich fanner in
Missouri, and the other sister Clara was engaged to a
young German locksmith at such a place, and that her
brother Charles would probably be soon out here on a
IN THE MINING DISTRICT 233
visit; and so she freely went on recounting many other
family matters.
An hour had passed by in pleasant conversation with-
out our being aware of it, when I saw our team approach
and I had to bid "good-bye" to my newly made friends.
Our parting was cordial, considering our short acquaint-
ance. Evening had set in, and while I was walking along-
side our team through the dark forest, I could not but
constantly think about the "Pine Grove House" and its
inhabitants. My companions, noticing this, kept banter-
ing me about my having fallen in love with the handsome
young wife. In reality it was not that at all, but I did
think how happy the man must be who can live thus
secluded from the world alone with his wife and family,
loving and beloved.
It was late when we reached our third camping ground,
distant from "Pine Grove" about 3 or 4 miles— and it
was not a "Night in Granada," but a night in "Straw-
berry Valley"— a small town of 5 or 6 houses, where we
pitched our camp. Out of consideration for our purses
we slept again in the open, hard by the public road, our
blankets for a cover under a dark blue, starry sky. The
cold air reminded us that we had now attained a high
altitude, and during the night every now and then we
were compelled to draw the blankets closer around us
after the fire, which we had started in the evening, had
fallen into embers, and as the raw morning air began to
rustle through the pines.
During the forenoon of the 6th we did not encounter as
many obstacles as on the day previous. Our road led us
over a sort of plateau; and even if we had to cross a val-
ley or a ravine occasionally, they were few and far be-
tween, and the banks were not steep. "We had passed the
region of the cedars, and where we rested at noon, we
found the pines rpiite numerous among the firs. This was
near the "Missouri House," which we reached at about
II o'clock. Here a steep mountain rose up before us, and
we had to climb steadily upward for about three hours.
After reaching the summit, our road — now only a trail —
234 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
led us along the edge of a precipice several hundred feet
deep, and I may say that from here— though we were high
up in the mountains— we for the first time gazed upon the
grand, gloomy giants of the Sierra Nevada and her aerial
glaciers. There was not one among us but stood for the
moment awed, on beholding the picture thus suddenly un-
folded before our eyes. Standing as we did on the top
of an almost bald mountain, we could with one glance
take in the whole panorama ; the deep valleys in the fore-
ground, densely wooded with dark firs, whose tops were
many hundred feet below us; the tangle of chasm and
precipices beyond— some of the latter nearly bare, others
covered with a growth of brushwood and stunted firs;
the sides of the mountains furrowed by numberless ra-
vines and gulches, and beyond this and towering high
above it all, the mighty giants themselves, rising high
above the line of vegetation, their sharp peaks glittering
with eternal snow and ice— standing out frozen and clear
through the blue atmosphere. A cold breeze came as if
in waves from the other side of the valley. We had
reached the margin of the snow line.
I have not attempted to give you anything like an ade-
quate description in detail of the panorama before me,
nor to tell you what I felt in looking at it. I could not
do either; not the first, because I could not grasp any
single feature myself; I had eyes for the whole only; I
saw only the clefts, the mighty mountains, the snow —
and I could not do the second, because— smile at me if
you will— I cannot find words to do so.
From here we began to descend again, and soon the
dense, dark forest prevented a look in the distance. It
was more a tumbling down than an orderly descent, and
at times I really thought that our wagon would get to
the bottom ahead of the oxen. At the foot of the moun-
tain—at the "Lexington House"— we were told that ow-
ing to the bad condition of the road, we would barely be
able to reach the next loghouse— the "Deadwood House"
—3 miles distant— a great disappointment to us, as we
had been in hopes of reaching Grass Valley, distant about
IN THE MINING DISTRICT 235
six miles, before darkness set in. Without delay we took
again to the road, going as fast as our tired animals could
travel over mountains and along precipices that made
one dizzy.
Our road— or to be more correct the ground— because
one cannot speak of a road where there appears only hero
and there the faint track of a single wagon— the ground
was so thoroughly drenched by melted snow that every
now and then the wheels would sink down to the hubs,
and the oxen to above their knees. We all had a hard
time of it; the constant unloading and reloading, the lift-
ing, pulling, pushing, tripping and stopping of the
wagon, would have kept busy a crew as large again as
we were. Later than we expected, but yet an hour before
sundown, and without any damage to our team, we
reached "Deadwood House." Here we were told that
thus far in this year no team had attempted to go to
Grass Valley, and that we certainly would not be able to
get there this evening, if at all. Rothrock's motto, how-
ever, in true California style was "up and doing;" he
insisted upon going on, and so, after we had taken a stiff
drink of whiskey and lighted our pipes anew, on we went
ahead.
Grass Valley, the town of that name, is distant from
Deadwood about three miles, as I said before, while the
valley itself begins just one mile beyond Deadwood.
As we had been told here, we lost immediately after
starting even the slightest trace of the road; and nobody
has an idea what it means to travel with an ox team
where there is no road, not even a trail, unless he has
tried it. We had our hands full, now cutting through
snowdrifts 5 or 6 feet high, then rolling large boulders
out of the way; here we get mired down and we have to
unload; the oxen strain every muscle and we lift and
push to get the empty wagon again on solid ground;
then we load up again and immediately afterwards we
run into another snowdrift, where the wagon goes down
again to the hubs; the snow is piled up before the dash-
board, like the water before a swift sailing ship; but our
236 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
oxen pull hard, and only about ten steps more would have
brought us out of the snowdrift, when there came a sud-
den jerk. Stop! On shoveling the snow aside we found
that the fore wheels had struck the trunk of a fallen tree,
about 2 feet in diameter, which had been completely hid-
den by the snow. Immediately two men, one on each
side of the wagon, begin to cut through, and others are
ready to relieve them when tired, it does not take long
to open a passage. We start again. The snow begins to
get solid enough for the team to pass over it, frozen solid,
yes, it is! For the next hundred yards we are all right,
when all of a sudden the treacherous snow field gives
way, and oxen and wagon disappear together in a hole 5
feet deep. We unload, dig wagon and oxen out and load
up again.
Thus it went on constantly, and, of course, we made lit-
tle progress. The sun had gone down and it became dark,
and we had not made a mile yet. Here we came to a
place where standing up to our knees in mud and snow
we had to cut our way with axes through brushwood
covered with snow. The small branches would fly back
at every stroke like steel springs, covering us all over
with mud and show. Immediately beyond this place we
stood before an exceedingly steep grade, almost a prec-
ipice; how steep we could not tell in the darkness; but
down there we had to go to reach Grass Valley, and down
we went like an avalanche, though we had three wheels
locked and two young pine trees fastened on behind. In
spite of the darkness and our rapid descent, we reached
the bottom without accident and stood now before a nar-
row but rather deep creek. It was too dark to look for a
crossing, and so we waded straight into it and right up
to the hips — the water being cold as ice. Just think how
pleasant! the upper part of the body dripping with per-
spiration and pantaloons and boots full of ice water! We
took just enough time to wring out our nether garments;
took off our boots and poured out the water; into them
with bare feet— and off we started again.
The ground here was still boggy, but covered with
IX THE MINING DISTRICT 237
grass, free from snow and level, so thai we began to hope
that we might yet reach sonic human habitation; but we
had hardly gone a half a mile over the bottom, when the
wagon sank again to above the hubs into a quagmire; the
now totally exhausted animals gave out, and there was
no alternative; we had to wait here for daylight. Hav-
ing unyoked the oxen and fed them some hay, we started
out in search of a camping place and firewood, but all
we found was mud, knee deep everywhere, and a little
half rotten wood, which we had to fish out of some pud-
dles. For fully half an hour we tried to kindle a fire,
but it was all in vain— we had to give it up, and with
empty stomachs and wet and chilled through and through
we had to seek rest as best we could. Yea, rest! The
moment one of us would lie down, the mud and water
would splash up to the right and left of him. But it was
of no use to grumble (as it is nowhere in California for
that matter). I was as ''tired as a dog" and so I re-
signed myself to fate, wrapped my blankets around me
and laid myself down. I had given up all hope of going
to sleep, but fatigue at last got the better of me, and I
fell into a sort of slumber, which, however, was anything
but refreshing. Wet, cold and hungry as I was, it was
impossible to sleep soundly, and I laid awake for hours.
It seemed as if that night would never come to an end!
With the coming of daylight, however, we were all on our
feet, for none of us had had any sleep to speak of. I felt
so stiff and chilled that I could hardly move my limbs;
a heavy fog— dense and cold— lay on the marshy bottom
of the valley. "What would I have given for a glass of
brandy or a cup of coffee! but neither was to be had. ( hir
whiskers were white with frost; our wet pantaloons were
frozen stiff and hard like buckskin. After considerable
yawning and stretching we went to work to get our
wagon out of the quagmire. It took us two hours to do
this, and then we started again slowly on our way, the
liiud being up to our knees. After crossing and recross-
ing the creek about half a dozen times we at Inst reached
Grass Valley at about 10 o'clock in the morning. You
238 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
may imagine that it did not take us long to get the much
needed food and nerve tonics; that reinvigorated
us, and after half an hour rest we started again in better
spirits. Two or three times more we mired down, but
finally we reached a deserted and half-ruined loghouse,
about two miles beyond Grass Valley. It was on dry
ground, half hidden under trees and bushes on the bank
of a creek of clear, cold water; and there being good pas-
ture for our cattle, we pitched our camp.
Kothrock, after a consultation with us, concluded to
walk across the mountains to " Onion Valley," distant
about twelve miles, and from there to send mules for half
of our load; we— after the oxen were rested— to push on
with the other half in the same direction.
The first thing for us to do was— as you may imagine —
to kindle an immense fire, to divest ourselves of our cloth-
ing (except our flannel shirts) — in other words, to take
off our boots and trousers and to dry them. At the same
time we provided for our dinner, putting on a large ket-
tle with meat and another with potatoes, and while these
were singing cheerfully, we stretched ourselves at full
length upon the dry soft grass, dressed in the most mod-
ern Indian costume (i. e., shirts) — trying to get on one
side as much heat as possible from a brisk fire, while the
other side was exposed to the warming rays of the sun.
You can hardJy imagine the exceedingly pleasant feel-
ing I experienced now that for the first time in thirty-six
hours I was again dressed warmly and comfortably, and
had enjoyed a good hot dinner. But not only that, the
surrounding country looked so bright, bathed as it was
in the warm sunshine; the snow on the sides of the valley,
which was here only half a mile wide, contrasted so beau-
tifully with the bright green of the sprouting grass and
the dark firs; the birds sang merrily and the very beetles
were out on a picnic; a feeling of happiness, of delight,
stole over me. After a nap — I alone could not sleep, be-
cause I had to think on this day a great deal of my be-
loved ones at home— we began to explore the deserted
house, near which we had made our halt. It had evi-
IN THE MINING DISTRICT 239
dently been a tavern in its better days; there was yet the
bar, an immense number of empty bottles, flour sacks,
sugar bowls, boxes of all sizes, etc. While we were thus
rummaging around, to see if we could find something
useful which we might appropriate I happened to stum-
ble upon a small keg. I lifted it up; it was rather heavy
and gave a gurgling sound. I smelled it; it had a pleas-
ant spirituous odor. Having advanced thus far in my
exploring expedition, I raised an alarm, and the others
came to my assistance. We tasted— first with the tip of a
finger, and then we became bold and absorbed a moderate
"snifter." Imagine our surprise when we found it
to be old cognac of the very best quality; just two gal-
lons of it! It made us a first rate punch which we en-
joyed after supper sitting around a big fire till late in the
evening. Thus ended my birthday, a great deal pleas-
anter than it had begun, and after I had wrapped myself
in my blankets, sleep came to me much sooner than usual.
I could easily understand that after the fatiguing trip.
Early on the following morning we took down half of
our load and left it in the house in charge of one of our
company, and then started again on our journey. We
found the road in a far better condition than we had ex-
pected after our experience on the two previous days ; and
as our oxen had been thoroughly rested, we made the four
miles to the end of the valley in a little less than V/2
hours; the time passed quickly enough with me, because
this part of the valley offers so many fine, romantic views.
We now began to ascend again, the first hills being
about 400 or 500 feet high, densely covered with brush-
wood, but showing few trees. We soon encountered snow
again, but since we had now less than half our former
load, we got stuck but 2 or 3 times, and if one of our
oxen broke through, as did happen now and then, the
others soon dragged him out again. Considering every-
thing, we made rather good time for the next two miles
on a bald ridge, which offered us some magnificent views
into the surrounding gulches and the snow crowned
mountains beyond. Then gradually our ascent began to
210 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
get steeper and steeper, and our progress became cor-
respondingly slower; the higher up we went the softer
became the snow, and we often broke into it to above our
knees. Our oxen had a hard time of it, and we were some
distance yet from the top of the mountain, when a snow-
drift 15 feet high and more than 100 yards wide made
it impossible for us to advance any further with the team.
We were forced to unload right here, and while our team-
ster returned with the oxen to Grass Valley, the rest of
us shouldered our blankets and baggage, and continued
on our road alone. We soon found that it was not an easy
road to travel; the snow was loose, and the weight on our
shoulders caused us to sink into it to our middle.
After reaching the summit we came into rolling hills,
gradually rising higher and higher. The air was thin
and sharp and everyone of us soon complained about pain
in the side, chest or head; at the same time the snow
began to get softer and softer, and every now and then
some one of us would sink into it up to the arm pits, so
that the others had to drag him out again. In this way
we made about 3 miles, when at 11 o'clock we reached
an entirely bald plateau, exposed to a high wind, sharp
and cold as icicles. Here, however, we made good time.
The wind which probably blows here strongly all the year
round, had swept the hard ground perfectly clean of
snow, while at other places it had blown it together in
banks as high as a house. In most cases we walked
around these and since the plateau was perfectly level
we would certainly have made the last three miles to
''Onion Valley" in half the time that we actually re-
quired if the tempestuous weather and snowdrifts 25
feet high on this the 8th of June— and the thin, cutting
air — had not seriously told on our lungs. As it was we
had to make a halt every few hundred yards to recover
our breath. It was 2 o'clock when we reached "Onion
Valley," a broad ravine about 300 feet deep, covered with
snow everywhere; a few stunted firs were the only signs
of vegetation I could discover. Yet there is on this des-
olate spot a small town of ten or twelve stores and tav-
IN THE MINING DISTRICT 211
eras, tlie central point for the numerous surrounding
mining camps. We rested ourselves here for about an
hour, and then began to ascend the opposite side from
where we had entered. We followed now a well traveled
trail which led us up the steep Pilot Peak. This peak
rises about 800 feet above the bottom of "Onion Valley"
and ends in two sharp cones, which on account of their
peculiar form make it a very conspicuous landmark from
a great distance. Milleson and Adams, two American
surveyors, give the height of the peak as 12,500 feet
above sea level. Our trail led us to within 15 feet of the
summit, and this was the highest point I have ever vis-
ited. From here it was an uninterrupted descent, follow-
ing a ridge between two deep gulches; one of them the
Poorman's Creek, which in a semicircle sweeps the
other side of the Pilot Peak. From the dizzy height on
which we stood this stream, as it appeared here and there
between the dark, pine covered ridges, looked like a thin
thread of silver.
It was 5 o'clock when we arrived at Hopkinsville, a
small mining town at the confluence of Poorman's and
Hopkins' Creeks, and at 7 o'clock we reached my pres-
ent home, a loghouse a full mile below Hopkinsville on
Nelson Creek. (Hopkins Creek flows into Nelson Creek
a few hundred yards above our abode.) We were not
slow in throwing down our bundles and doing justice to
supper, which we found awaiting us.
I am pleased with the aspect of the country. Accord-
ing to my estimate — uncertain at best, I know — our log-
house on Nelson Creek must be nearly on the same ele-
vation with Grass Valley, and certainly considerably be-
low "Onion Valley." The climate is mild and pleasant;
the air is very pure J snow is to be seen only 400 or 500
feet above us on top of the ravine where, however, it
never entirely disappears; even not during the heat of
summer. I am justified in calling this a ravine and not
a valley, because the lower end is so narrow that the bed
of this rushing stream takes up the whole width of it;
the hills on both sides being more or less densely covered
with 6rs.
16
242 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
There are numerous wild, charming spots on this creek
above as well as below us, towards its mouth; it empties
into the northeast fork of the Feather River, about eight
miles from here. My time does not allow me to explore
these places, and so I have to be satisfied when chance
takes me to one of them.
September 19th.
Truly everything is going to pieces, and if an earth-
quake were to swallow up this whole country, I would
not care a cent about it! I cannot advance a single step
forward. At this moment I might as well say that I have
to begin anew again; my money is very nearly all gone;
what little I have left will certainly go, too; and I have
to commence again to work for the paltry few dollars I
need to pay for my board. But I want to get ahead, and
/ will get ahead even if I have to begin anew again a
hundred times, and if I have to burrow through the big-
gest mountains of California.
Now, let me tell you just how it all happened. Such
is life in California.
When I arrived at Nelson Creek, I found Rothrock and
his four partners to be as honorable, pleasant men as any
one can wish for. It is true the work was very hard; at
times I thought I could not stand it any longer, or I
would succumb ; and I was at the point of throwing down
my tools and quitting; but shame kept me from doing so;
I strained every nerve, and when evening came I looked
with satisfaction on my day's work; and on the follow-
ing morning I would think "well, you stood it yesterday,
and so you will be able to stand it today, ' ' and so it went
on day after day. I said that the work was very hard;
but I cannot say that we were worked beyond our ability ;
and after I had got used to it and accustomed to the rare
air of this high altitude, which inconvenienced me very
much in the beginning, I must confess I liked it very
well up there. Besides this, my pay was sure and I was
in hopes that I would be able to stay with Rothrock until
the beginning of winter. As you are aware, this hope was
IN THE .MINING DISTRICT 343
not verified. Rotkrock and his company had such poor
success that he was compelled to discharge all his hired
men, I being one of them. I regretted to have to leave
these good people, to whom I had really become at-
tached during the time I remained with them; and
there being no prospect of finding work again in the near
future, and— considering the enormous prices charged
for provisions— and that there was no chance for me to
make a living by working alone, I packed my bundle and
started back again on my way to Long Bar. I must say
I disliked to do so. Of late several men had been robbed
and killed on the road; but there was no alternative for
me, and so I started. On account of the insecurity of the
road, I thought it best to make forced inarches, and so I
reached Long Bar towards evening on the third day.
There was something oppressive in the aspect of Long
Bar, it looked deserted, quiet almost as a graveyard. The
few people I met on the street looked like wandering
corpses; they were barely able to drag themselves for-
ward. On the bar itself it was only here and there, at
long intervals, that one saw a man at work, who had so
far escaped fever and dysentery.
I would have preferred to leave again at once, but
would it have helped me any? and whither should I have
gone:— there was nothing left for me, but to go to work
and take my chances.
I have previously explained to you what sort of work
I am doing here. We had already purchased the neces-
sary machinery, pumps, etc., when sickness began to take
down our men one after another; and within a few days
we were compelled to stop work altogether. I kept up
to the last. But during the hot days of this month, I too
was taken down with fever. It is true, I had only one
chill; but that has reduced me to such a degree, that up
to this day I have been unable to do even the slightest
work. I am yet very weak, but I will go to work to-mor-
row, so as to make some money; my purse is getting to
be very slender.
There you see now:— such is life in California;— con-
244 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
stantly up hill, and down again. A man who is well off
to-day, may go to bed to-morrow evening without a cent
in his pocket. Some weeks ago I considered myself a
well-to-do miner; to-day I can hardly afford to offer a
smoke to my friends, who come to see me in my tent. But
it must be a. long road that has no turn; if it is "up hill"
now, it certainly must go "down hill" sooner or later. I
mean to keep cool and to do all I can. If I only can keep
in good health now; of the rest I shall take care.
There is still considerable sickness here, but the tem-
perature is improving; now and then we see rain clouds,
and — what is very pleasant — nearly every day at about
noon, we have a strong wind from the north, moderating
the heat and purifying the atmosphere.
On our wingdam we shall probably not work again.
Two of our company have died of fever, and all the rest
of us are down with it yet, with the exception of myself
and another— an American. Our prospect, too, was so
poor, and we have to dig so deep for the gold, that it
will not repay us.
But let us turn now to something more pleasant, — to
your dear letters. You ask me several questions which
I will now answer.
First let me thank you, my dear father, for the kind
advice you give me, based on your own experiences dur-
ing your campaigns. Such things we soon learn here
from one another; the whole life of a Calif ornia miner is
nothing else but a campaign. If he has a claim which
gives him work for any length of time, he generally lives
in a tent; drives four low posts into the ground, nails to
these two pieces lengthways and two across; on these he
nails a few potato sacks, and thus he has a solid bed-
stead. Only when he is traveling or prospecting he
sleeps out in the open.
But you and all of you may rest perfectly tranquil. I
know too well what a blessing it is to enjoy good health,
and how easy it is to get careless in regard to it. It needs
no admonishing about that, because our work here is
already dangerous enough to health and limbs; besides,
there is no escaping the inevitable.
IN THE MINING DISTRICT 245
I am glad that you have kept our "memorial day" in
the Warschkeitei Hills. I never doubted that you would
do so. And we had our celebration on the very same day
too (Saturday, April 10th); because I remembered just
in time that I was mistaken in thinking the day after
Easter was our day. That day will forever {)<■ a holiday
to us. 1 passed the evening of that day at the place near
Long Bar, which 1 have described to you at length in my
letter No. 15. That place has a great charm for me.*
I am unable, my dear father, to give you the exact dif-
ference of time between here and there, because I do not
exactly remember the degree of longitude under which
San Francisco is situated. But you can easily figure it
out yourself, if you will look at a map, and multiply the
number of degrees of longitude between Konigsberg and
San Francisco by four minutes. (Every degree more to
the East or West makes a difference of 4 minutes: 360
degrees X 4 min. = 1440 min. = 24 hours.)
Juniper brush or any similar aromatic wood I have
not noticed here yet.
You mention in your letter the "cugar." I do not
know of any animal bearing that name, but I presume it
*Note by Frank's Father. — The following will here serve as
an explanation. On April 19th, 185 1 — the day before Easter —
Frank with his father and Moritz Ruhdel took a very pleasant
walk — the last one — starting from Eylan going through an ex-
tensive forest and back across the Warschkeiter Hills, from where
one has an extensive view over the surrounding country. Dur-
ing the rest we took there, the conversation turned upon his ap-
proaching departure, and the great distance he had to go, and in
the serious frame of mind produced by this, Frank asked as a
favor, that this day be made a "memorial day" for him, to be
passed by us all in the years to come in a similar manner. The
assent was readily given.
In his letter written February 8th, 1852, Frank reminds us of
this promise given "for the day after Easter." and he was
answered in a letter written on May 5th, that "memorial day"
was not on the day after Easter, but on the day before Easter;
and that day we celebrated on the Warschkeiter Mountain by
kindling a mighty fire of Juniper brush, and keeping it burning
for about an hour.
246 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
means what is here called the "California Lion." The
animal belongs to the feline family, grows as large as a
powerful dog, has a more slender figure, and an immense
long tail. Its color is a dirty, yellowish grey, and it is
anything but handsome. Though large, it is one of the
least dangerous of the wild animals; it is so shy and
timid, that the hunter finds it a difficult matter to get a
shot at it, and is seldom found on this side of the Sierra
Nevada, but it is quite numerous on the eastern side,
which is steeper and more inaccessible, and in the adjoin-
ing desert.
There is another beast of prey here, also belonging to
the feline family, which, though smaller than the Cali-
fornia lion, is much more dangerous. It is the catamount,
or the mountain cat. I have not yet had an opportunity
of seeing one, but I have been told that these animals
are exceedingly ferocious, hiding in trees and between
rocks, attacking men by jumping from there on their
victims. They are numerous and mostly found in the
deep ravines of the Sierra Nevada.
Another animal of prey belonging to this class, and met
with quite often, is the common wild-cat, which resem-
bles the domestic cat, but is larger, stronger and very
savage.
The most numerous of the animals of prey, and at the
same time the least dangerous of all, is the coyote, the
California wolf. In shape and color he resembles a fox,
only he is larger. Hundreds of them are often found to-
gether, and they are so timid, that they will never go
near a man. But I doubt, if it would be safe for a man
to get into a band of hungry coyotes ; they are good sized,
strong beasts. But if we can not see them in the daytime,
we can hear them howl every night, when they are out
on their marauding expeditions.
The worst customer to meet however is the grizzly—
the great California bear— a perfect monster. I have
seen one in a cage, which measured, standing on his hind
feet, 11 feet G inches ; twice as high as a man. I have
never before seen or heard of anything like it, and have
IN THE MINING DISTRICT
247
been told that they are found only in California and Ore-
gon. They are really dangerous to animals and human
beings, and are more numerous in the mountains than the
miners like to have them. In the week before I left Nelson
Creek, two of them were killed between Onion Valley and
Nelson Creek, and six between Nelson Creek and Jamison
Creek. One evening, as I was walking along Nelson
Creek, I saw a grizzly descend the other side going to
water. I was able to take a good look at him, because
I was on a higher ridge and near some houses. I was con-
siderably more scared, however, on my last trip here from
Nelson Creek, when— near Onion Valley— I saw the fresh
tracks and other signs of a grizzly on the road. The
tracks of the hind feet were more than 18 inches long, and
you may believe me that I kept my eyes and ears open,
because he certainly had passed there not more than 10 or
15 minutes previously,— the snow in the tracks being yet
freshly disturbed. I thought every moment I should see
the beast, and what made my position more unpleasant
was, that in the dense chaparral or copsewood there, I
could not see ten yards ahead, and my heavy load had
made me feel stiff and dull.
Except these mentioned above, I do not know of any
animals of prey; but these should suffice without adding
the wild Mexican cattle; but we must not forget the fleas,
bedbugs and vermin which infest California by the
myriads, causing to us poor mortals a great deal more
trouble than those large beasts do.
Snakes I have mentioned before. There are a great
many of them, and some of them very poisonous; but
they are not by far as dangerous as reported. To be
afraid of snakes in a country which is so full of them as
California, is quite as foolish as to be afraid of ghosts.
All a man has to do is to keep his eyes open in walking
through the grass, and to wear topboots of heavy leather,
and there is no danger.
My sincerest thanks for the news you write to me.
None of you have the faintest idea, how even the smallest
trifles in that line interest me. Poor * * * I feel
248 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
sorry for hini with my whole heart; it was nobly done,
and his wife is deserving the fullest credit for it, that
she, who was tied to him only by duty, attended him so
faithfully, until death relieved him. The misfortunes in
the * * * and * * * families are much to be
deplored. I hope and wish that things have changed
since for the better. I am glad to hear that * * *
and * * * are to be engaged, and possibly they are
married by this time. Everybody gets married, and I—
''I remain sangle and my aine"— as Newman says.
Enough for to-day.
October 10th, 1852 (Long Bar).
It really taxes to the utmost all the mental energy and
self-reliance this wild life in California has imparted to
me, to make me keep my head above water. Since my
arrival in California (with perhaps the exception of the
two months I have been at Nelson Creek), I have had to
fight adversity after adversity. Were I still the weakling,
the physically— and mentally— sick boy I was when I
left you, by heavens!— I would have blown my brains out
ere this. But now I am too proud to do that; I will not
be bowed down by misfortune. Not in vain will I have
gone through the test so far; and, though should adver-
sity strike me again with double and treble force, I shall
meet it.
Now let me tell you what happened to me, since I wrote
my last lines on the 19th ult.
I spent nearly my last dollar in buying a claim, and—
though I felt very weak yet,— I went to work with a will,
and finding that my claim paid me as well as I expected,
I felt that I was again in a fair way to make some money.
But my hope was short lived, it lasted only 5 days; on
Saturday, the 25th of last month, I was taken down with
dysentery, and so severely that I was hardly able to drag
myself to my tent. I have been down with it all of last
week, and at times I felt so bad, that I thought this let-
ter would never be finished, and that I should soon ex-
change my claim on the bar for a "claim on the Mil"—
IN THE MINING DISTRICT
2-19
that is the cemetery of Long Bar. As it happened, I did
not;— and my good constitution and perhaps the physi-
cian, who kept me busy swallowing medicine, have pulled
me through; and now all danger is passed, and you need
not in the least feel uneasy. Yet I must say, I am still
very weak, and that I have during the last few days only,
been able to make just enough to pay my board bill at
the inn. I hope to get better by degrees, and if I only
get strong again, I shall soon have money again too, be-
cause a full day's work in my claim, will always give me
6 or 7 dollars.
The general state of health here at the Bar has evi-
dently improved considerably. During my sickness, how-
ever, and in the previous week, it was worse than ever.
Around our boarding-house alone, cholera and dysentery
carried off three and four victims every day; the former
claimed its victims generally within a few hours. I have
sat at the breakfast table with apparently well people,
who, when I returned from my work in the evening, I
learned had been buried. Of our wingdam company, two
more have gone to their last resting place, so that four
out of ten of our number have been buried. During this
present week, however, I have not heard of a single case
of cholera, and only one man has died; but he had been
hopelessly sick for several months.
The only rays of sunshine during all this suffering and
sorrow were your dear letters Xo. 11 of May 5th, and Xo.
12 of June 7th— for which I thank you with all my heart.
You have had bad weather during this spring, as I see
by your letter of May 5th, my dear father; but you must
not imagine that the weather in California during the
summer season is the same as it is in spring. It may not
lie pleasant to have to start fire in your stove in May,
but it is much less so— you may believe me— to have to
work hard in the sun when the thermometer rises to 30°
R. in the shade. The air is hot as if it came oat of a fur-
nact : it is useless to look anywhere for a moment 's relict';
it is as bad in the shade of a tree as it is out in the sun,—
for the glaring rays, coming down day after day from
250 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
a cloudless, almost tropical sky, heat the very soil to
such a degree as you can hardly believe. You may think
I am exaggerating, but it is the plain truth. I have had
my fingers blistered by touching stones, which had been
exposed to the noonday sun. You take refuge from the
cold near the hot stove; but where are we to find refuge
from the heat ? In our low narrow tents we feel it a
great deal more, as you can well imagine. To warm
yourself you drink hot tea or hot coffee; but what shall
we do to loosen the tongue which actually clings to the
roof of the mouth? For miles around the springs are
dried up, and all that is left to us is the thick muddy
water in the river, and that is more than lukewarm. Not
a blade of green grass to gladden the eye, not a flower
to exhale its fragrance,— everything is withered, dead;
the very leaves on the trees and bushes are parched and
shriveled, and they would rustle as the leaves with you
in the fall of the year, if ever the slightest breeze would
stir the hot atmosphere.
Such is the climate here in the summer ; it is really no
better, at least not in the interior of the state; along the
coast, it is incomparably better on account of the proxim-
ity of the sea. Beautiful, glorious is the climate in this
part of California, only during a few months in the
spring; in the summer you are roasted, and in the winter
you may get drowned in rain and mud.
In your letter of May 5th I find a passage, — now do
not get angry my dear, my beloved father,— which,
though your love for me speaks out of every word of it,
caused me almost a smile. Is it really impossible for
you to have more confidence in mef Is Emil Boettcher to
lead me whither he will to my hurt? Here in California,
and I believe nowhere else in this world to the same
degree, does this saying hold good, and this alone,—
"Himself is the man." Whosoever does not stand
firmly on his own feet, is swallowed up in an instant as
by a roaring whirlpool, and the greatest exertions only
may perhaps bring him again to the surface. That I
am yet on top, will, I hope, give you confidence in me
IN THE MINING DISTRICT 251
and confidence in my energy, even if I am young in years
yet ; have confidence and all your doubts about my future
will vanish. With my experience, my energy increases
day by day; and should a man not be safe in a stream,
where the feeble inexperienced boy has kept himself
afloat so long? xVnswer that question to yourself, my
dear father.
And now let me answer your question about Griin-
hagen and Olias, my original companions, whom I have
not mentioned lately. Alter having worked together in
the mines for a few days, there were plain indications,
that our company would not last long. The first condi-
tion for the permanent existence of such a union, is com-
plete harmony in everything, that may lead to success,
and that was lacking with us. As long as Emil Boett-
cher's soothing influence was felt among us— I am sure
Rosenstock has not exaggerated in describing it to you
—everything went all right; but very soon after he had
left us to go to Lucius' farm on the Feather River, we
dissolved our partnership, though in a thoroughly
friendly way. Olias went to work on Feather River, at
the mouth of Nelson Creek; and Griinhagen, with whom
I remained for a while longer, went afterwards to Inde-
pendence Bar, where Boettcher also went, on returning
to the mines from Lucius' farm. Ever since that time —
or since we dissolved partnership— the most cordial rela-
tions have existed between us. Of Olias, however, I
have not heard since I left Nelson Creek; Griinhagen
and Boettcher I have visited, nearly every Sunday at
Independence Bar. In June Boettcher fell sick and was
compelled to go to San Francisco, and Griinhagen fol-
lowed him soon afterwards. A letter from the former,—
the same which transmitted to me your two letters,—
told me that Griinhagen has not yet succeeded in finding
employment. In this letter Emil advises me, in earnest
and not to be mistaken language, not to come to San
Francisco; and his elder brother— an excellent man, cool
healed and intelligent, in whom I have the most implicit
confidence — who wrote to me at the same time, gives me
252 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
the same advice; the mines being in their opinion, for
the present at least, the better place to make a living.
Emil even tells me that he might return here, if his
health, which has been undermined by fever, will permit
him.
Considering everything, you must see now for your-
self, my dear father, that, apparently I can not do any-
thing to ease your mind about me. All I can do is, to
give you in my letters a plain and true statement of my
life here and of my affairs. And then I can and must
ask this of you: have the most implicit confidence in your
son; you will never have cause to regret it. This, I feel
confident will help more than anything else, to relieve
your mind of any uneasiness about me.
This much in answer to your first letter; and now to
your second of June 7th, which— I must confess— has
pleased me a great deal better than the former, because
it shows me that you are beginning to gain confidence in
me. In this respect, I hope, you will not, allow Aunt
Carola to surpass you! Now, now— that would not be
right !
To show you that I will do all I can to quiet your ap-
prehensions, I sat down immediately upon receipt of your
letter and have drawn my own portrait, as well as I could.
I herewith inclose it. I dare say, I made a success of it.
What do- you say about that large hat, and the still larger
boots? (Plague take them for keeping my feet sore con-
tinually) ; what do you say about my mustache and my
whiskers! Eh? About these however— the whiskers—
I must confess that they are just a little exaggerated; I
had a little too much ink in my pen when I did them.
And then— my pipe; what do you think about that? Is it
not a really beautiful ensemble? especially so when you
consider that the somewhat dubious background is a —
mudbank.
If Aunt should ever read again mining novels to
Froehlich's children, send her this portrait; that she may
know exactly how a Konigsberger looks, after he has
been transformed into a California miner. But, by-the-
IN THE MIXING DISTRICT 253
way, August Froehlich, like a civilized European, knows
how to use paint and brush; should he want to color the
portrait I will here give him a full list of the colors he
will have to use:
llat, brown felt, almost new, hut badly sprinkled with
mud.
Face, a hrownish yellow; the color approaching nearest
to it, is that of a very dirty shirt.
Hair, fair; beard reddish.
Pipe, clay, an old stump, dark brown, nearly black.
Shirt, originally red; wearing and washing have in places
lightened the color, and darkened it in others; a
dark reddish brown now; in spots,— as you will
see— it is torn and patched.
Undershirt, striped white and blue, somewhat worn hut
clean.
Belt, black leather; pistol, the national California
weapon, a Colt's revolver, five shots, and sure to
hit a card at .'><) yards.
Trousers, difficult to describe, fancy mud color; when
new they were grey. The patch on the right knee
is cut from a blue flannel shirt; the lower one on
the left knee is from a piece of sailcloth; the upper
one is cut out of a black coat.
Boots, any color except black; the leather on the few
spots not covered by mud, looks a reddish brown.
Thus, and exactly thus, looks the transformed Frank
Lecouvreur in his working suit.
In regard to your remark, that, what Rosenstoek says
about our being in a German boarding house, may seem
to be not true— because I spoke in my letter about pan-
cakes which I bake myself;— I must say, however, that
both statements are correct. "We certainly lived during
the time we were in partnership, in a boarding house
here; but afterwards I pre] tared my own meals, because
I found it to be cheaper. In whatever we do here in
< 'alifornia, we must be guided by circumstances, as I told
254 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
you before. For instance, just at present I am again at
a boarding* house; simply because, while I am sick, I
have better care there; I can have a cup of tea, or any-
thing* I need on short notice, and do not have to prepare
it myself; I can select among different well prepared
dishes what suits me best; and last, but not least, the
prices of provisions are so high at present, that the small
saving which might be effected— perhaps 2 or 3 dollars
a week — does not amount to anything, when you think
what it is to supply myself with wood and water; and
when I consider what time it takes to prepare my meals.
This alone would occupy me one or two hours a day; but
during the same time I can take out of my claim double
the amount I might save in preparing my own meals. I
shall remain in this boarding house until I am quite well
again, and until through cheaper provisions I can effect
a saving.
Flour is worth now, lb $ .25
Rice " 25
Ham "..., 50
Tea " 1.25
Onions " 25
Crackers " 35
Candles each 15
Beans lb 35
Salt pork " 40
Coffee " 40
Potatoes " 15
Fresh beef " 25
Cheese " 30
Matches, pr. hundred 12%
I am very glad to see that you, my dearest mother,
take such a kind interest in * * * and * * *
the only two friends I had in Konigsberg. Though en-
tirely different in their ways, they have this in common,
both are pleasant and thorough gentlemen. Your hint,
that I might have the pleasure to grasp my dear * * *
IN THE MINING DISTRICT 255
by the hand here in this country, startled me like an elec-
tric shock. Yes, let him come and try his luck, and let
him steel his body and energy as I have done. It is true,
1 have heard California cursed by immigrants thousands
of times; I have seen men— old women I ought to say—
shed tears, because they had exchanged their comfortable
homes elsewhere for a mining claim in California; I have
seen men land here from one steamer, and start back for
home again on the very next boat (literally true!); and
I would never advise anyone to come here; but
is so much like myself that 1 will say out of the depth of
my heart: "let him come, if he has a desire to see the
world." He will find in me the same friend I used to
be, and as long as I have a crust of bread and a blanket,
he shall not go hungry or cold.
And now I come to you, my little gossip, my dear
Marie. A pity that died so young; he was a
gifted painter and would have accomplished much. That
my place at the christening at Podlechen was kept open,
I will believe. I know how kindly you all feel towards
me; another reason probably was, that Carl has named
his firstborn after me. When Lucinde will have pre-
sented him with eleven more, let him come here, he can
then start a farm and have a little kingdom of his own.
— And so grandpa has now two Franks among his de-
scendants; one a big good-for-nothing fellow, who roams
at large; and a little one, who if everything goes satis-
factorily, may also become a good-for-nothing; but who,
I hope, will not turn out any worse, than I am.
For the present: Good night!
San Francisco, Cal., October 27th, 1852.
You will undoubtedly be surprised to hear that I am
in San Francisco; but it came about in a very simple way.
When I found that my health would not improve in any
way, I made up my mind to take a trip to this city. It
is now about two weeks that I have been here; but
though immediately after my arrival I placed myself in
the hands of a. German physician (Dr. Wedekind) who
25G EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEX GATE
was recommended to me by Boettclier,— I must say I am
gaining very slowly, though I am somewhat better. You
can have no idea how this malarious fever here reduces
a man; I would not have believed it. I take the matter
very coolly though; I must ultimately get well again.
That this sickness is a great injury to me in a pecuniary
way, you can imagine; this is what troubles me. Not
only that all I had went to the doctor, but I am in debt ;
and unless an unforeseen lucky chance turns up (which
is not at all likely) I shall not be able to save anything
during the next six months. Well, I will not lose heart
on that account: "Es muss doeh wieder werden," (It
must come our way again) as our grandma used to say.
Others have had worse experiences than I.
I saw Olias on the day before I left Long Bar; the
poor fellow has fared rather badly. From Nelson Creek,
where he did not succeed, he went to Canon Creek (on
the upper Yuba), and here 286 dollars were stolen from
him about fourteen clays afterwards. He followed the
thief to San Francisco, but without result; his traveling
expenses however increased his loss to 360 dollars. It
was on his return from here that he called on me. The
poor fellow felt down hearted, and nobody can blame him
for it; the loss is really heavy.
Grunhagen has at last succeeded in finding employ-
ment in Santa Cruz, a small place a few miles from Mon-
terey. He is clerking there in a marketshop, gets 50 dol-
lars a month and board, and sells butter, carrots, onions,
ham, etc.
Emil Boettclier about a week ago went to Sonoma, on
the other side of the bay. His position there is not very
brilliant.
I myself shall return to the mines as soon as possible.
Business is exceedingly dull here. For weeks thou-
sands have been looking for employment, and nobody can
give it to them. In addition to these, every incoming
vessel brings more immigrants. How it is going to end —
God only knows.
I hope you will not take offense, because this letter is
IN THE MINING DISTRICT 257
so badly soiled. When paper is lying around loose in a
miner's tent for about 8 weeks, it can not well be in any
other condition. I hope you will be able to decipher what
I have written.
To you all (and to myself), I wish the best of health,
and remain with much love Your
FRANK LECOUVREUR.
P. S.— The last mail did not bring me any letters from
you. The next steamer, the Northern (Light?) from
Acapnlco will be due hero within a few days. I wonder
if she will bring anything for me?* F. L.
*Here ends Dr. Wollweber's translation.
17
LETTER NO. IX
San Francisco, Cal., January 13th, 1853.
My Beloved Ones— My somewhat sorrowful letter No.
17,* finished in San Francisco towards the end of last
October, must have reached you some time ago, and I
have no doubt, you have ever since longed for another
letter from me and for news about my health.
I have experienced hard times since then. Under the
impression that I had completely recovered my health,
and thinking that the unhealthy season must have ended
long ago at Long Bar, I started on November 4th to re-
turn thither, and immediately upon my arrival went to
work again. My dream was of short duration, three days
afterwards the fever returned, and ever since— for fully
two months— it has been racking me day and night. As
it happened the rainy season set in at the same time-
storms and floods— and so dispensed me from telling
you what I suffered during that time. Day after day
the rain came pouring down in torrents, accompanied by
the howling of the storm. The canvas-roof of my tent
could not withstand it any longer; the water would soak
through, and so I lay— shaking in a cold chill, in vain
trying to get warm— in a bunk and under blankets, both
wet through and through by rainwater constantly drip-
ping in. In the beginning I tried yet— exerting all my
strength— to make my board; but I very soon became so
weak that I had to give that up, and shortly after, I was
often not even able to prepare myself something to eat.
In regard to this, I had often to depend on the kindness
of my neighbors who now and then would let me have
*The author's number includes more private correspondence. —
Transl.
258
IMPRESSIONS OF CALIFORNIA 259
some soup, or would make some tea or coffee for me. In
this way I Jed the most miserable existence imaginable,
until at last— seeing no prospect of getting better there,
but on the contrary, feeling that I was getting weaker
and worse every day— I resolved to go again to San
Francisco, which I did shortly before Christmas, after
having sold my tools and everything I could convert into
cash.
You can imagine in what a miserable, wretched condi-
tion I arrived hero, but the complete menial and physical
rest, living as I do in a dry, sunny room— I room with
Boettcher— and sleeping on a dry mattress, have done
wonders for me, the fever left me more than a week ago,
and I feel that I am rapidly regaining strength, so that
I begin to hope that this terrible sickness, which has kept
me down for fully four months, is about to leave me.
I call this malarial fever a terrible sickness, and so it
is, in the fullest meaning of the word; it manifests itself
in different ways, but is always periodical; it returns at
regular intervals, either daily or every second or third
day. During these intervals the patient may either feel
quite well and may eat and drink with a good appetite;
or he may have a constant chilly sensation, and be at the
same time unable to go to sleep, and may feel a repug-
nance to the taking of nourishment, as was the case with
me. The chill which lasts at times from 6 to 8 hours, is
followed by a high fever, during which the patient be-
comes delirious and sees himself surrounded by the most
horrid creations of a sickly fancy. But this is not all;
during the same time he suffers an agony of pain in the
chest, stomach and intestines; he feels as if he would
suffocate the very next minute. The worst, however, is
the complete apathy into which the sufferer sinks. ' It
is as if there were forever an end to every mental exer-
tion. He sees his future black, and while in other dis-
eases hope sustains the sufferer, it is jnst the reverse
with one stricken by this fever: hope abandons him at
onee and as if forever. It is a most horrible condition to
be in, and it is impossible to describe it.
260 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
But what is gone let it be buried with the past. A new
year has come upon the river of time; may it bring me
better luck,— may it bring me nearer the goal than the
past year has done. Yet, there is much I have to be
thankful for; if during the last year I had to suffer a
great deal, I have also learned a great deal. "Habeat
sibi? "—Retired, quiet and contented as you live,— I do
not know if I could wish you anything better, than that
the new year may not bring you any changes, my beloved
ones! The storms which constantly spring up around
me, will not touch you. To Marie only will I wish that
she may soon regain her wonted health.
Just as you received my letter of April 5th last year,
on my birthday, so did I receive your letter No. 16— of
August 6th on December 16th, my beloved mother's
birthday. That was a satisfaction!
I am glad to see that the specimens of leaf gold, whieh
I sent you in my letter No. 15 of May 6th-15th have
reached you in safety. I hardly had expected it. To be
sure, the gold found here differs very much in color; but
you never find gold differing in color in the same locality;
and especially does this hold good about the gold washed
out of rivers. The gold found at Long Bar, for instance,
as it is washed out of the river, looks beautifully bright
and reddish. After a while it turns to a pale yellow and
then it takes a greenish hue; but since the miners are in
the habit of carrying it on their persons, the perspiration
may have something to do with that.
I did not see anything at which to laugh, my dear
father, about the suggestions you make in regard to
mining operations here; the improvements you suggest
have in part already been made,— as for instance, the
repeated utilizing of the same water by running the tail-
ings into a hole. The system however, which you sug-
gest, would not only be impracticable in most cases, but
—considering the small quantity of water used in wash-
ing with a rocker, — too expensive. Lumber is worth 25
cents per foot (in some localities 50 cents and more) ; so
that a hundred feet of a flume such as you suggest, would
IMPRESSIONS OF CALIFORNIA 261
cost about fifty dollars. To bring the water to a Long
Tom we generally use a hose, three inches wide and made
of canvas. To dry the ground before washing it, as you
suggest, would not be an advantage; why should we dry
it and then wet it again? You have no idea how difficult
it is to wash the gold out of ground which is dry; I can
wash three or four buckets of moist earth in the same
time and with the same quantity of water, that it takes
me to wash one bucket of dry earth.
So far as game is concerned, you can imagine that near
cities like Marysville, with 2,500 inhabitants, or Sacra-
mento with 15,000 inhabitants, or in mining districts
where there are numerous settlements, it has pretty
nearly disappeared. Game birds are, however, yet to be
found in large numbers in the Sacramento valley. The
buffalo has never been indigenous in California, but is
found in endless numbers on the other side of the Sierra
Nevada.
As for the drying of meat in the open air, what you
were told about that is only partly true. During the hot
summer months, meat decays here as quickly as it docs
elsewhere; but strange to say— during the rainy season
one can in some parts of the country, preserve meat an
unusually long time, by hanging it up in the open air;
ultimately however it will spoil.
In consequence of reports received by returning
miners, I have for the present given up all idea about
going to Oregon.
I have repeatedly mentioned my going by steamer to
and from Marysville, but have never given you a descrip-
tion of such a trip. Let me now do so.
The style of the entire interior arrangement of the
American river steamers is so entirely different from
what you are accustomed to see in Europe, that I will first
give you a description of one of them, ere I proceed fur-
ther. The hull of the vessel is something like an egg-
shaped flat-boat, whose deck however extends in all di-
rections beyond its sides, thereby gaining a great deal of
room; on this deck st;un^s a trwo-story structure — a house,
262 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
covering the deck from one side to the other and almost
from end to end, leaving only a small portion of the deck
forward, open, and uncovered. The lower part of this
structure which usually is open all around, or at the most
only partly covered in, is taken up by the machinery, —
the boilers are in the forward part of the vessel, entirely
uncovered— and is used for freight; the second or upper
story of this building however contains usually, an ele-
gant cabin, so constructed, that only a sort of veranda
extends all around it, to be used as a promenade in fair
weather. On the forward part of the upper deck, or in
most cases on top of it— thus forming a third story —
is the wheelhouse. "With small variations nearly all
American river steamers, from the largest to the small-
est, have the same, or very similar construction, the ap-
propriateness of which is evident, since it enables them
to carry an incredibly large number of passengers.
Between here and Stockton on the San Joaquin river,
the central place for the Southern mines, there run ten
or twelve large high pressure steamers, making regular
trips; between here and Sacramento there are probably
no less than fifteen of them; not counting those which go
direct to Marysville. How does that compare with
Konigsberg, which after preliminaries extending through
several years, has succeeded in establishing communica-
tion with Stettin by means of two old, almost un-
serviceable steamships? All these steamers here have
plenty to do, especially in carrying passengers, and there
is nothing more interesting than a trip on one of them —
some of them being 100 feet long with a 60-foot wide
deck — to Sacramento for instance. This trip occupies
generally from 13 to 14 hours, the fare being 5 dollars
on deck and 10 dollars in the cabin. Nowhere has one a
better opportunity to notice the cosmopolitan character
of the population here, than on board of one of these
steamers, where he finds Americans, Germans, French-
men, Mexicans, Chilians, Spaniards, Dutch, English,
Danes, Swedes and Norwegians, Mnlattoes, Negroes and
Chinamen, — all crowded together on the same deck.
IMFRESSIONS OF CALIFORNIA 2G3
Everyone chatters in his own tongue, — the French, as
usual, being the loudest and the most noisy; and every-
one does as he is in the habit of doing at home and among
people of his own nationality. You can not imagine what
a motley crowd it is, nor how interesting it is to a quiet
observer, to note their doings. One might think himself
to be in a theater with several hundred actors from all
parts of the world before him. There being hardly any
distinction between classes in America, and absolutely
none here in California, most everybody travels as a deck
passenger, and the cabins are used only by ladies, or
persons who will pay for comfort. Aside from what we
see on board the steamer, the trip offers us but very little
of interest. The surrounding country is not interesting.
The banks of the river are low, the country is flat as far
as the eye can reach. Only here and there we note natural
hedges or some stunted willows; seldom groups of trees
or grazing cattle; at times we pass a loghouse or shanty
standing high on piles: that is all. The most interesting
part of the trip is the passage through the slough. This
slough is one of the many outlets of the Sacramento river
into Suisun Bay; it is the narrowest, but, on account of
its depth of water, the only navigable outlet. It is about
20 miles long and the banks are just above the water
level; but they are virgin soil, covered with the most lux-
urious vegetation, including all sorts of vegetable
growths, from the primeval oak down to the most intri-
cate masses of bush and vines that I have ever seen.
Before I close my remarks about steamboats, I must
mention what I believe to be an English scheme but
which has entered so much into the very life here that
we can not exist without it. I mean the " opposition"—
the mutual efforts of two competitors in the same line
of business to ruin one another, by alternately lowering
the prices. It is especially among the owners of steam-
boats where the procedure is in vogue, and at times it is
carried to most ridiculous extremes. It was only the
other day that I came here from Sacramento for one dol-
lar; and a few weeks ago a new company advertised that
26± EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
they would not only carry passengers from here to Sac-
ramento free of charge, but that they would give them
their supper besides. And so they did for three or four
days,— when they came to an understanding with the old
established companies, and since then they charge uni-
form prices.
I do not know if your papers informed you about the
terrible fire which on November 2nd and 3rd laid in ashes
the whole city of Sacramento— about 2,500 buildings, and
rendered about twelve or thirteen thousand people home-
less. You may perhaps remember that I was at that time
here in San Francisco; but on November 4th I took the
steamer to return to Long Bar. As it happened, this
steamer— the "Confidence"— was the first boat to leave
here after the fire, and you can form no idea, how she
was loaded down with freight. Anything and everything
that one might want or not want, was on board. Every
.little bit of space, even between and below the boilers,
and even part of the cabin, was used to store away all
sorts of provisions in all sorts of packages, household
goods, furniture, building material and everything else
conceivable; and between and up and down these moun-
tains of boxes and barrels and bags, pushed and climbed,
like the mules in the Sierra Nevada, the most heteroge-
nous crowd— about 900 of them— which has ever been on
board of a steamer, even a California steamer. I saw a
pile of mattresses stowed away between the smoke-stacks,
reaching about half way up to the ceiling and selected
them as a "throne" for .myself; but straightway I came
in conflict with the owner, who would not allow me to re-
main there. Eepeated efforts which he made to pull me
down miscarried, until I was careless enough to bring
one of my feet within his reach, when he immediately
took the opportunity, i. e. the foot, and began to pull
with all his might, but as I resisted as hard as I could
he almost pulled off my boot. At last, perhaps, moved
by my obstinacy, he desisted in his attempt "to drag the
lofty into the dust," and we became afterwards such
good friends, that he even divided his cigar supply with
me.
IMPRESSIONS OF CALIFORNIA 265
It was 5 o'clock iu the afternoon when we cast off from
the California street wharf, and it had become pitch-
dark when we arrived at the mouth of the slough (men-
tioned before). Here we had the misfortune to run into
a schooner lying there at anchor; and, as bad luck would
have it, we shoved her on the mud in such an unfortunate
way as to completely block the passage. Repeated at-
tempts on our part to get her off again, failed in the
blinding darkness and on account of the heavy load we
had on board, there was nothing left for us to do but to
await daylight. I made the best of it by making myself
as comfortable as I could on my pile of mattresses. I
wrapped myself in my blankets and tried to get some
sleep; but the night being very cold, I succeeded only
partially.
With the break of day we began again to pull away
at our schooner so as to open a passage for ourselves, but
with no better result than on the previous evening.
Things began to look dark, as we had now to await the
arrival of other steamers. Fortune favored us finally; at
8 o'clock the "Antelope" hove in sight and shortly after-
wards the "Wilson G. Hunt." By their united efforts,
the three steamers at last succeeded at about 9 o'clock in
floating the schooner again, and by that time the steamer
"Comanche" and the propeller " Archimedes" had also
joined us.
We thus had the pleasure of seeing the whole fleet
around us; and accompanied by this noble convoy of four
other steamers Ave arrived at Sacramento at 2 o'clock in
the afternoon— or rather at the place where Sacramento
City used to be before the big fire.
A scene of the wildest desolation met our eyes. Of a
great many buildings not even any ruins were left, —
not even any cinders! The terrible heat caused by so
many buildings burning at once— and some of them large
buildings (one— for instance— being a hotel four stories
high) reduced the ashes of everything combustible to the
finest powder, and this was at once scattered by the wind.
AVhere the city had stood there was now nothing before
266 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
us but a wide expanse of blackened soil, with here and
there the blackened walls of a burned out brick building,
ready to fall at any moment, and from some of these
smoke and even flames would still at times shoot up. In
the fullest meaning of the word, the whole city was in
ashes, because only one side of one single street had
partly escaped destruction by a change in the wind, and
if I were to say that there were forty houses standing,
my estimate might be too high.
It being 2 o'clock p. m. when we arrived at Sacra-
mento, and the boat for Marysville having left long be-
fore that time, I was compelled to wait here until the
next day, much against my will. I was hungry as a wolf
and for a wretched bit of a beefsteak with a few potatoes
and a cup of black coffee— just enough to sharpen my
appetite— I had to pay two dollars.
The night I had to pass in the open air like thousands
of others who had lost their house and home; but I took
advantage of the situation : in the ruins of a brick build-
ing I found a corner, where, protected against the wind,
I slept on the warm ashes as in paradise!
It was daylight when I awoke; but when I opened my
eyes I thought I was still dreaming. Where I had seen
the angry flames shooting up on the evening before, there
stood now (the sun had not risen yet), rows of tents and
shanties, which had been constructed during the night
by the light of lanterns ; and when at noon I took the boat
for Marysville, long continuous rows of these tents and
frame houses formed well-defined streets,— a temporary
city had sprung up. Where in the world can you see
anything like this, except in America? In any other
part of the world a city like this, after such a catastrophe
— being wiped off the ground as this city has been—
would have been deserted by the inhabitants, certainly by
most of them; and years afterwards one might yet have
seen the traces of the disaster while here they will have
completely disappeared within a few months.
San Francisco too has changed wonderfully in this one
year since I first saw it; one can hardly believe his own
IMPRESSIONS OF CALIFORNIA 267
eyes. Not only have frame and sheet-iron buildings been
torn down and replaced by magnificent brick buildings,
and new ones been added; but whole streets have been
opened and built up; and where as late as last January
large ships have discharged or taken in cargo, there you
may see to-day buildings two and three stories high on
solid foundations; and on the very spot where we pas-
sengers of the "Aurora" managed to land by climbing
the narrow ladder on the California wharf— one may now
take his cup of chocolate in a beautifully furnished estab-
lishment and may indulge in finest confectionery. Streets,
where we had formerly to climb up or down like a goat,
are now graded,— and steadily is that steam-engine at
work, which I have described to you in a former letter,
in leveling down hills and in filling in that part of the
bay, over which the city will extend.
Every day shows new improvements, and the varie-
gated styles and the different colors of the material used
in building, produce an effect at once odd and attractive,
such as one may not find in any other city. A veritable
fairy-land panorama unfolds itself before one's eyes, if,
on a clear, bright day he ascends one of those hills which
surround the city in a semi-circle. They are already so
densely covered with cottages and villas that they may be
considered as forming part of the city. The observer
standing upon one of those eminences can view the great
mass of buildings of the western metropolis at his feet.
The wide streets run straight as a ray of light, and the
busy throng of humanity that flows through them from
early morn till late at night, represents all nationalities
on earth, and is a sight worth seeing. A little beyond,
near the wharves, the throng seems even to increase.
Here hundreds of the largest and most magnificent ships
of the world are either at the wharves, unloading or tak-
ing in cargo, while those which are not in dock for re-
pairs of damages suffered during a long voyage upon the
more or less tempestuous sea, are to be seen in the bay,
majestically resting at anchor. And this beautiful bay!
Its blue waters are glistening in the bright sunshine and,
268 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
being dotted with lovely islands, are reflecting their
emerald in the crystal flood; and innumerable small
boats, spread their white wings to the breeze. Steamers
are passing to-and-fro, and every now and then a large
clipper ship glides by, her tall, graceful masts swaying
under a cloud of canvas, and looming up like a frigate
among the smaller craft! The back-ground of this pic-
turesque panorama is formed by the Eastern shore of the
bay, with its long chain of hills, the beauty of which is
enhanced by the constantly changing of light and
shadow, as the sun rises, sets or hides himself tempo-
rarily behind the clouds, thus presenting a picture of in-
describable beauty. Neither painter nor poet can do it
justice; one must see it with his own eyes, and feel with
his own heart, the power of this grand picture— at once
majestic and sweet— as Mother Nature unfolds it before
one's delighted senses.
The place however, which I prefer to all others and
which I visit oftenest, is— I am fully aware that you
guess it — the harbor. I find that this feeling of admira-
tion is shared even by those who do not take as much
interest in ship-building and maritime affairs as I do;
the harbor attracts everybody. No other port in the
world can show such an accumulation of grace and
beauty, allied to the most imposing dimensions in mari-
time architecture. In one of my former letters, I have
already spoken about American clippers, and at that
time, I thought it next to an impossibility to improve in
any way on what I had seen then. How I mistook Amer-
ican possibilities, at least, when it comes to ship-building.
Nearly every new clipper that enters this port, surpasses
those which have come before in simple elegance as well
as beauty and practicability. The "Winged Racer"
lately arrived from New York is a good specimen of
these giants. Length of keel, one hundred and ninety
feet ; length over all : two hundred and thirty-five ; width
of beam: forty-eight; main yard: ninety-eight, drawing
twenty-eight feet of water when loaded. Though of such
uncommon dimensions every line of her body is clean and
IMPRESSIONS OF CALIFORNIA 269
beautiful, a masterpiece, which looks as if it had been
cut out of one solid block of wood. On the stern under-
neath the bow-sprit, she carries a finely carved winged
horse, gilt and much above life-size; this and a gilt-
moulding, about three inches wide, running all around
the ship, are her only ornaments; beyond these, she is
painted black. To show you how remarkably strong
these vessels are, I shall relate an incident which I should
not have believed from hearsay, but which I now vouch
for, having been an eye-witness to the fact.
As the " Clara Mallory," a Baltimore clipper of about
equal size and just as handsome a ship as the ''Winged
Eacer," came into port a few days ago, the breeze began
to decline and, as the tide was running heavily against
her, she was obliged to engage the steamer "Goliath" to
take her in tow, and bring her up to the wharf. Being
loaded rather deep, the "Goliath" had to make supreme
efforts to bring her near Long "Wharf, and just at the
moment, when she was turning into the slip, the tow-line
broke and the "Clara Mallory" fell squarely into the
trough of the sea and began to drift with increasing
rapidity. She immediately let go both bow-anchors, but
these did not take hold at once and it thus could not be
prevented that she swept with her long jib-boom over
the deck of the three-masted screw-steamer "Fremont-"
a steamer somewhat larger than the Konigsberg "Cole-
raine," then at anchor. Any ordinary ship would have
lost her jib-boom in striking against the mast of a vessel
riding at anchor and would then have cleared, but the
"Clara Mallory" did just the reverse. With the very
end of her jib-boom, she first broke the "Fremont's fore-
mast, then the main-mast, and finally knocked the chim-
ney overboard, without sustaining even the smallest
damage herself. It seems incredible, but as I mentioned
before, I saw it with my own eyes.
Perhaps the most gigantic, though not the finest of all
ships in this port at the present time, is the screw-
steamer "Samuel S. Lewis" lately arrived from New
York and intended for the Panama line. She is of two
270 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
thousand nine hundred tons capacity. The width of her
upper deck is fifty feet; her length, two hundred and
sixty feet or twenty feet more than the height of the
tower of the " castle" at Konigsberg. What would the
good citizens of Konigsberg say, if one fine morning there
should enter the river Pregel such a monster vessel as
the " Samuel S. Lewis," with the "Winged Racer" in
tow?
.Though San Francisco is an entirely new city, steam
navigation has already been developed to such a degree,
as our slowly-progressing merchants at home would
hardly consider possible. Not only are we connected by
steamers with all places in the interior where a connec-
tion by water is possible and advisable, but steamers run
to the North and South from here along the whole coast,
even to the smallest ports. The largest, the fastest and
the finest steamers however, are those connecting us with
Panama and with San Juan del Sur, the crossings of the
Isthmus. Three, four or five of them are dispatched on
the first and on the fifteenth day of every month by the
different companies. No less than five of these magnifi-
cent steam-ships are advertised to sail from here on the
fifteenth instant for the two ports named. These steam-
ers are: The "Winfield Scott," carrying two thousand
one hundred tons; the "Samuel S. Lewis," two thousand
nine hundred; the "New Orleans," sixteen hundred; the
"Independence," fifteen hundred; lastly, the "Golden
Gate," two thousand five hundred tons and one thousand
horse-power; and the latter steamer, according to the
unanimous opinion of all the newspapers— the finest ves-
sel afloat at the present time. What do you say about
such a, traffic at a place, where four years ago there stood
but a few tents and hovels? Is it not a miracle almost
as great as any mentioned in history? "Help yourself
and God will help you," comes true here as well as else-
where.
But, methinks, I have really dwelt long enough in and
about the harbor, but you all know my hobby and will
pardon my weakness.
IMPRESSIONS OF CALIFORNIA 271
It just strikes me that you perhaps have no correct idea
about what is meant by the descriptive phrase, "clipper-
built." I left three small models at home, two not fin-
ished, one, a side-wheel steamer, the other a screw-
steamer, the latter, though hardly sharp enough, resem-
bles a "clipper."
January 24th, 1853.
Do not be astonished if my words flow more glibly and
manifest a more cheerful spirit than those, which I ad-
dressed to you on the thirteenth of this month. The
cause of it is easily explained. I feel myself gaining in
strength from day to day and I have every reason to
believe, that I shall soon enjoy perfect health; another
star has arisen on my present horizon : prospect of steady
employment, which assures a steady income; and, last
but not least, I received the day before yesterday by the
mail steamer "Tennessee" your letter of November the
sixth of last year. Of this I am anxious to speak first.
I actually did read your underlined note* first, dear
father, but with such trepidation, that its first perusal
left me completely bewildered. The second reading met
with better success.
As you had supposed, I was anxious to see first who
of my beloved ones had been kind to me this time. I
saw, that the dear hand of my mother had rested on the
paper; then I perceived Alexandina's cheerful lines and
—that was all! Why not a line from my dear and only
sister Marie? A dark, a terrible supposition shot through
my brain and then my heart ceased to beat! No one will
*The underlined note here referred to, contained the unwel-
come intelligence that his only sister, Marie, was dangerously ill
and unable to write to her brother, as had been her usual custom ;
there being however but one mail a month, the writers thought
it best to forward their own letters. As he would naturally have
missed his sister's handwriting at the opening of his mail, they
thought of forestalling a prolonged anxiety by notifying him at
once of said news. The fact had been minimized, but his sensi-
tive nature divined the seriousness of his sister's illness, for never
did a brother love his sister more tenderly. — Transl.
272 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEX GATE
blame me, if it took quite a few moments before I was
able to regain my equilibrium.
I can very well imagine how the foreign newspapers
have exaggerated the state of cholera on this coast but
let me assure you that it was not half as bad as reported.
As you are aware, I was at the time at Long Bar, which
was one of the places that suffered the most.
As for the assembling of ten thousand Indians, I as-
sure you that the story is a lie from beginning to end.
Some correspondent with an abundance of nerve and
imagination, has once more succeeded in forcing upon
your press, news, which happens not to be news at all.
But I wish we could find such a large number of red-
skins together in one lump, so as to have an opportunity
for a good cleaning up among those thievish vagabonds.
The worst and most blood-thirsty of these tribes are the
Blackfoot Indians, the Shoshones, the Arrapahoes, the
Snake Indians and kindred tribes, which are fortunately
on the other side of the Sierra Nevada; and the Shasta
Indians have too few warriors to become dangerous,
though they gladly embrace every opportunity for doing
mischief. As for the other Indians in California, they
are, as I said, in a former letter, less savage, though very
thievish and, if once in a while, here and there, a few of
them are ''hung up by the neck until they be dead," the
rest of them will keep quiet enough. Again it must be
borne in mind that our population has grown quite large
and consists mostly of young men, well able and accus-
tomed to bear arms; and besides, that those Indian tribes
beyond the mountains are almost constantly hostile to-
wards one another and that, even at best, each tribe could
but put a few warriors in the field. For these reasons
they will never be able to stem, or even temporarily hin-
der, the tide of progress in this glorious country. There
is not the least probability,— but supposing it should
happen— that the entire body of savages was to make a
combined attack upon California, it would only hasten
their extermination, which, to use a mild expression, I
should not consider undesirable— all the sentimental,
IMPRESSIONS OF CALIFORNIA 273
soft-headed novelists and all the maudlin poets, who
would probably be scared to death, if one of these dark,
red-brown muscular fellows were to approach them, tom-
ahawk in hand — to the contrary notwithstanding.
Let us change the subject. When you say in your let-
ter, that you are not afraid that I will associate with
loose and worthless persons, I can only repeat, what I
have said before: in California one does not as a rule be-
come intimate with anybody. You combine with others,
whenever you find, that to do so, is in your own interest,
and that it enables you to accomplish a certain purpose.
The moment this is accomplished, perhaps without say-
ing as much as "good bye," you follow your own way
and pay no more attention to the other fellow than you
would to an old tool, which you have thrown aside, not
having any further use for it. Why shall the intelligent
and the strong always drag along a train of fools and
weaklings, thereby impeding his own progress. "Every
one for himself and God for us all!" Whenever a person
of common sense looks around for another to assist him
in digging for gold, is he likely to ask him: What are
your habits and your principles? No, but he will satisfy
himself, that the man can look him straight in the face,
that he has strong anns and that he is willing to work,
even under hardships. Or, if he wants to engage in a
mercantile business, is he likely to ask of his prospective
associate: Can you use a pick and shovel and a crowbar?
No, but he will satisfy himself that he has brains, a
knowledge of business and a well filled purse. It is of
the greatest importance, and it is just here, where the
greatest dffieulties are encountered, namely, to find in
this constantly shifting crowd, the proper tools and to
make them subservient to your purpose; to do this ef-
fectively requires a sound knowledge of human nature
and in spite of this, many have failed and even broken
their necks, and this mostly because they chose ways,
which are crooked. You write that there are many, who
would like to know the contents of my letters and thereby
show "sympathy" in my behalf. Please do not give my
18
274 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
letters too wide a circulation for, I confess, that I should
not like them to go outside of the circle of your or my
friends. I am convinced that the "sympathy" displayed
by other outsiders does not amount to much and all they
care for, is to hear something interesting from the other
side of the globe. Would you like to satisfy yourself as
to the truth of my assertion? Just go and ask one of
those sympathizers if they are willing to let me — the poor
fellow— have the loan of five hundred dollars to start a
business! I do not think you will try the proposition.
I know all about such interested sympathy, it disgusts
me! "Donee eris felix, multos numerabis amicos, tem-
pora si fuerint nubila— solus eris." (As long as you will
be in luck, you will count many friends, at the time when
there will have been clouds — you will be alone.) I write
for my loved ones, not for the public! You, my dear
mother, have aroused my curiosity, for, what in the world
has made your sweet soul so angry against Grunhagen's
father? Is there really any cause for it? Because he
does not want to hear anything about the return of his
son? Now listen to me, my dear, dear mother, and I shall
try to explain that matter to you as I see it. Heinrich
Griinhagen and I went to California under very similar
conditions. Our position was the same, our education,
both at school and afterward in business, had been the
same; in our ages there is only a difference of a few
months; our dispositions, our inclinations are about the
same (though our character may differ very much). We
both were poor boys and did not want to let our best
years pass by without making an effort to better our con-
ditions. We both realized that we could not very well do
so in our old home surroundings and so it became nat-
ural for us to look abroad for greater possibilities. Thus
we came to California with the intention of making a
fight for prosperity. The fight began, we started in with
stout hearts, but we were beaten. Grunhagen's heart
failed after the first reverses and he actually had the
intention to run away, to retire again into the safe, yet
anything but brilliant surroundings, he had left at home.
IMPRESSIONS OF CALIFORNIA 275
To this his father objected and the reasons which he gave
are plain enough and I believe that his father ivas right
in doing as fee did. How could Grriinhagen, or how could
I— or how could any one with common sense— being with-
out means, unfamiliar with the country and with life
here; without friends, even without reliable acquaint-
ances—how could we in any way expect to succeed with-
out a struggle ? Yea, without a hard struggle and with-
out severe disappointments— having come here to make
our fortune and with the firm resolve to succeed in spite
of everything and of everybody? Any man, who has the
use of reason, must know beforehand that such a battle
cannot be won in the twinkling of an eye, considering the
terrible odds which confronted us. Inasmuch as we be-
came familiar with our arms and realized the strength of
the enemy, after the battle of western life had begun, I
consider the experience thus gained too precious and too
hard won a treasure to turn my back to it. And now
should his father have given his consent and let his boy
run away after the first attempt? Though the battle was
seemingly lost— we are richer by the experience. Is not
the best and most glorious victory, a victory won over
many reverses? Would not the runaway, whoever ho
may be, make himself utterly ridiculous and contemptible
in the eyes of all sensible people? To be made the laugh-
ing stock of the community is almost worse than a curse.
Whe*n I left Hamburg, I had made up my mind to de-
vote five years of my life towards accomplishing the pur-
pose which led me to the New World, and which consists
in: Making money enough so that at the expiration of
the time set I should be enabled to found my own home
with a good and thrifty wife at my side, and that, with
such an occupation as would suit me, I might live in ease
and some comfort.* One year has gone by and I have
reason to hope that it was the worst of the five, and,
while it has not brought me nearer to the goal, it has
made me familiar with the field of operations, I have
*And, bless his soul, he succeeded ! — Transl.
276 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
learned to distinguish my friends from my enemies and
it has taught me hundreds of other things which were
necessary for me to learn; and thus it has benefited me,
and, best of all, I am convinced that I have deceived my-
self in my hopes and expectations. The remaining four
years shall be devoted to the same purpose and,
provided I remain master of my own free will, these com-
ing four years devoted thus to the service of my purpose
will not be curtailed one single hour, except it be that I
reach the fulfillment of my plans before the expiration of
that time, which, however, I can hardly expect. I would
therefore say to you, my sweet, darling mother, do not ex-
pect to see me again before the expiration of the time
I have set.
I have never cared about the "Affection" of the public ;
respect was all I demanded, and that I could enforce, if
necessary. Should I return home to-day, the people
would be justified in ridiculing me and to compare
me to a school boy who ventured into a dark room and,
becoming frightened, ran at once back to mamma's apron
strings. Should I, however, return after five years, even
without having accomplished my purpose, but after hav-
ing faithfully and perseveringly tried to do so, having
fought bravely, though in vain, my course will not resem-
ble the running away of a school boy from a ghost, but
it will be the withdrawing of a man from a fight to which
his strength is no longer equal. But ere all honorable
resources are exhausted and before all strength is gone,
there must and there shall be no talk of retreat. Should
that point be reached, however, there will then be noth-
ing cowardly, nothing ridiculous about it and no sane man
need be ashamed of it.
January 31st, 1853.
The closing of mail compels me to seal my letter and
all I wish to add is my great satisfaction at Carl's suc-
cess, the most interesting news in Alexis' welcome mis-
sive.
In regard to my health, T must say that it progresses
IMPRESSIONS OF CALIFORNIA 277
slowly, but surely. My stomach is as yet very weak and
will not accept heavy, substantial food, so that my diet is
rather restricted and my limbs, being swollen as far as
the knees, remind me of their deficiencies by cramping
pains and by trembling whenever I venture to take even
moderate exercise that I must not consider myself "a
healthy man." These troubles, however, are but the con-
sequences of the fever and will disappear in time. As
you know me well enough, you will realize that it is not
my own temporary indisposition which gives me most
concern, but the state of my Marie's health; I long to
hear favorable news about her condition.
Hearty greetings to all my loved ones ! F. L.
Fbom the Diary.*
February 28th, 1853. My health had somewhat im-
proved and a clerkship in a toy-store had been accepted
at thirty dollars a month and board. This lasted just a
month, when Otto Deussing, the owner, expressed his re-
gret, that business would not allow the expense, but that
I could remain, with board, free, until something better
turned up, which I gladly accepted.
March 15th, 1853. My strength has returned and witli
it my courage to try again. To-day, I bought a hand-
cart for fifty dollars (payable at convenience), and the
morrow will find me at the corner of Battery and Com-
mercial Streets as ''hand-cart-man No. 107."
Griinhagen is said to have opened a store in Pajaro.
Olias, Kamcke and Emil Boettcher are in the mines, suf-
fering from fever.
*The following pages contain the most interesting details,
gathered from the diary of the author, as from now on there are
but few letters in a sufficient state of preservation to be trans-
lated. The diary in itself is a model among its kind. Such neat-
ness, accuracy and faithful execution, till sickness disabled the
noble man from continuing it. are seldom seen ; and they show-
that the author must have been thorough in everything. — Transl.
278 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
June 30th, 1853. My life as a hand-cart-man has some-
thing romantic about it. I reside in a vacant store on
Market street, the use of which Neuhaus had proffered
me. My furniture consists of a mattress, a plain table
and a box to sit on. Breakfast and supper are home-
made, and dinner is mostly procured at a restaurant.
Not being strong enough to take heavy burdens, my earn-
ings are naturally very small. I make on an average two
dollars a day. Have managed to pay for the cart and a
few minor debts and bought some clothes.
July 7th, 1853. Saulmann offered me a position as
hotel-waiter with Louis Etonbleau in Alameda. Salary
fifty dollars and board, which I accepted. Good bye,
Hand-cart!— Arriving at my new station, I encountered
some difficulty, as I told the employer that I was but an
apprentice in that position and had it not been for his
kind-hearted Hamburg wife, he would have surely sent
me away. As it happened, he engaged me at forty dol-
lars a month, on trial. The hotel is situated on the bor-
der of the magnificent oak-forest, about half a mile from
San Leandro Creek. There are but few houses in the
neighborhood.
August 19th, 1853. Every thing goes smoothly. The
Etonbleau family and assistants are very congenial peo-
ple, mostly French. Strangers are seldom seen on week-
days and our table-guests are mostly the artisans from
the neighboring buildings, and other toilers. Sunday is
our busy day. Plenty of light work, incomparably health-
ful air and good, substantial food have brought back my
old strength, for which I am infinitely thankful. — Griin-
hagen is still in Pajaro ; both the town and this inhabitant
have changed their name and will henceforth be known as
Henry Jackson of Watsonville, Cal. As Americans in-
variably mispronounced his name, friend Griinhagen
conceived the idea of adopting the maiden-name of his
mother.
Here follows one of the few remaining letters.
LETTEli NO. X
Alameda, November 2d, 1853.
My Dear Ones:
Though I do not exactly know what to write to-day, I
trust the material will come as time progresses. As you
will notice, I am still at Alameda, with Etonhleau. I
like it very well and have no intention at present of
changing my place, so long as I cannot better my circum-
stances materially, though so far, there has been no raise
of salary. You will therefore realize that everything
continues as heretofore, with no changes worth mention-
ing to report, so far as I am concerned. Alameda, which
three months ago existed only on the map, counts now
from fifty to sixty block-houses to which number, one is
added daily. "We have daily communication with the
principal places along the bay, and a special small
steamer runs twice a day, from here to San Francisco
and back. This is the way we populate towns and cities
in America! Can you figure out how long it would take
the good people of Germany to build up a place like this,
and how much red tape and many parliamentary actions
would be necessary to bring stage and even steamer com-
munication to the new town? As most American towns
and cities have arisen, as I may say, like our Alameda,
a more detailed description will not be amiss. This will
prove to you that we are in the habit of doing things
over here and of doing them to suit the present need, to
suit— I repeat it— the purpose. W. Chipman, an Ameri-
can, settled in this part of the country about three years
ago when hardly anybody thought of going into agricul-
ture and when land had hardly any value at all. Being
pressed by new settlers who curtailed, what he had con-
sidered his birth-rights as senior squatter, he bought the
279
280 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
district of San Antonio, which borders on the bay of San
Antonio, the bay of San Francisco and of San Leandro,
from the rich Mexican land-owner, Antonio Peralta, for
about ten thousand dollars; thus securing a clear title to
the land.
Chipman wanted to make money, piles of money, and
after he had laid out a small part of his possession for
garden-produce, he had his property surveyed and cut
it into lots of four square acres each, which he put last
year in San Francisco, on the real estate market. Though
the values in property had already risen considerably in
Northern California, the uncertainty and unreliability of
land titles, and moreover, the insolence of the squatters,
who simply took possession after armed invasion of what-
soever ranch would strike their fancy, scared the buyers
and Chipman 's speculation failed almost completely, as
he could dispose of but very few of his four-acre lots.
Etonbleau had the good fortune to secure his sixteen
acres at this time for seventy-five dollars an acre. Chip-
man saw himself beaten, but resolved to make up for loss
of time, and the rapid growth of our neighboring city,
Oakland, inspired him anew. He made up his mind to
lay out a city. He engaged a surveyor to divide the
property into lots of 335x100 feet and to draw plans of
various kinds for purposes to suit his imagination. He
then chartered the steam-boat "Bonita," to serve as
ferry-boat between here and San Francisco for one thou-
sand dollars a month, not including fares and freights,
and agreeing to supply free fuel. The new city of Ala-
meda had thus been forced into existence and lacked
only— houses and people. But this part did not worry
Chipman. The newspapers of San Francisco commenced
now to describe the magnificent, healthful climate and
boomed every thing that could be found, or could not be
found, in Alameda and did everything to encourage new
settlers. In the meantime it was rumored that the great
philanthropist Chipman would give away lots, with clear
title. This rumor was promptly contradicted and again
it appeared until the people of San Francisco had almost
AMERICAN SUPERIORITY 281
grown nervous over the prospects. When the excitement
was at its height, Chipman suddenly placarded city aud
county with yard-long bills in green, red, yellow and blue
colors, which announced to every one who had eyes to
see and brains to comprehend, that the magnificent
newly-laid out city of Alameda would surely become the
only place worthy of a gentleman to live in. It was made
plain as daylight that perhaps within t a year's time
wharves, steamship and railroad lines would help to
make this the most attractive spot on the Pacific coast.
This and many other illusory stories appeared before
the dazed eyes of the readers, who were slowly led to be-
lieve that they were to be participants in the foundation
of another New York. Having for a time moulded the
minds of the unwary in such and similar announcements,
he finally played his trump card. Notwithstanding the
undeniable fact that the value of those city lots could
hardly be estimated, he, Chipman, had decided to part
with them, free to all who agree to build a wooden
structure for residence purpose, no smaller than sixteen
by twenty feet within ten days from date of agreement.
And all this as a token of love for his fellow-men. Thus
stated Chipman, the philanthropist.
That brought the crowds. They came in ship-loads
from across the bay and as Alameda has in reality some
of the natural beauties, which the board-bills described,
the majority of visitors thought well of the proposition,
especially as they could get something for nothing — ap-
parently. Americans are well aware of the fact that a
real-estate boom must always be taken at a discount and
they should not be disappointed in their anticipation re-
garding Alameda. Many had enlisted and secured the
lots but, — will you believe it, — most of them failed to
build the little house. And how many people bemourn
to-day their lost opportunities. AYell does our German
poet advise us: "Learn to cling to opportunities." No
sooner had about a dozen houses been erected, when phil-
anthropist Chipman stoju>ed his "free for all" proposi-
tion and declared his previous offer null and void, except
282 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
in the few cases where the ten-day-improvement-clause
had been properly and wholly carried out. He immedi-
ately started to auction off all remaining and unim-
proved lots and sold a good number at a price of from
fifty to a hundred and fifty dollars a lot, according to lo-
cation. In a later auction, held at San Francisco, he
realized even more; and to-day,— about two years after-
one gladly pays him from a hundred and eighty to three
hundred dollars. This last quotation is about one-half
of what Chipman paid for the whole town-site.
Friend Etonbleau, who invested in time and owns six-
teen acres in the very heart of the town has likewise
profited by this "boom," without even soiling his con-
science; he is now a wealthy man and contemplates re-
turning next year to "la belle France," to spend his re-
maining days in the peaceful enjoyment of home-life and
comfort. I personally am glad for their sake, for he and
his noble Hamburg wife are courageous, honest, amiable
and industrious people, whose good fortune has not
turned their heads. I sincerely wish them God-speed.
If I only had been able to invest about a hundred dol-
lars at the time of my arrival, I should now be the gainer
of five or six hundred dollars. As it is, I can only dwell
in air-castles and be satisfied to congratulate others upon
their success.
November 13th, 1853.
Hurrah ! Another holiday for me ! I just received your
long-looked for letter, dated the fifth of August a. c.
Many thanks for all the welcome news it contains.
Indeed it is no surprise to me that our American news-
papers give more political and local information and are
generally more informing than yours. This is particu-
larly true of the Koszta affair in Smyrna. Every one of
our papers is full of unlimited praise for Capt. Ingraham,
who, by his energetic action freed Koszta from the hands
of the Austrians and only express regret that Ingraham
did not make use of the language which our cannons are
so able to voice in order to teach those Austrians how
AMERICAN SUPERIORITY 283
citizens of our free states are to be respected. Tell me,
has a single one of your papers given space to the answer
of our Secretary of State, Marcy, to the request of Aus-
tria for indemnity? Not one, I wager. Such tobacco
would have been too strong for a German smoker. It
pleases me to hear that at last you have a railroad.
Tilings do go dreadfully slow over there: nobody will dis-
pute that. Your road-building, above all gives ample
proof of it. Alongside of this, just allow me to hint at
a few things which have been accomplished here in Cali-
fornia, just a little of it, as it comes to my mind. And all
within two months:
1. San Francisco has gas. The plant, the holder—
fifty-eight feet in diameter— twenty feet high— forty
thousand yards or one hundred and twenty thousand
German feet of pipes have been laid and by New Year
our city will be illuminated by gas.
2. Four brand-new wharves of about two to four hun-
dred yards in length and forty to fifty feet wide have
been constructed and the old ones repaired.
3. Electrical telegraphs, one coast-line, to report in-
coming vessels, and vessels in distress; the other from
San Francisco to Sacramento— about 100 miles distant.
Two or three branch lines have likewise been under con-
struction. Quite a number of surveyors and road-build-
ers are engaged in finding the most desirable passes
through the Sierra Nevada in order to plan the best pos-
sible and the safest possible route for the Great Eastern
Railroad which is intended to cross the desert. It is
contemplated to begin work at either end during the com-
ing spring. The costs are not expected to exceed fifty
million dollars and have been partly provided for before-
hand. Strong military escorts protect those commission-
ers and surveyors from attacks by the Indians. Soldiers
are often ordered to aid or protect commercial undertak-
ings,— a wise plan to keep those fellows (the Indians)
out of mischief.
4. Three new river steam-boats,— one about two hun-
284 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
dred feet in length— have left the ship-yards of San Fran-
cisco, and as many more are now in course of construc-
tion.
5. A new semi-monthly steam-ship service between
here and Central America has opened and it is announced
that the first vessel, the "Amazon," with a capacity of
one thousand tons, will leave with passengers and freight
on December the first, a. c.
6. The "Leytona" has arrived in San Francisco and
will henceforth sail between this port and the Sandwich
Islands. Two other boats, for the same purpose, will be
installed by the same company, immediately upon ar-
rival.
Were it my intention to give you a recital of all minor
occurrences in and about the city, such as the construc-
tion of churches, road-building, planking of sidewalks,
bridge-building, new express lines, river-shipping, I
should have to fill half a dozen sheets. But to give you
even a faint idea of the busy life, I shall but state that
in San Francisco alone, there are no less than one hun-
dred and fifty-five brick buildings going up right now I
About four weeks ago, I read in a local newspaper what
a correspondent had to say about progress in the city of
Sacramento, where he assures us there are at present
two hundred and twenty-two brick buildings and eight
hundred and forty-eight dwellings of wooden structure,
not counting barns, stables, warehouses and the like.
And do you not remember that I wrote to you last win-
ter regarding the total destruction of that city?
I shall not force any more news from this part of the
globe upon you. But I blush, when I compare my own
beloved fatherland with this country. Next to poverty,
it is the greatest misfortune that can weigh upon an in-
dustrious, strong-minded youth, to have been born else-
where than in the United States of North America! Well
do I comprehend the just pride of the Yankee and inter-
pret the fire which sparkles in his eyes, when he sings
his national hymn : ' ' The Star Spangled Banner, ' ' whilst
he watches the unfurling of the proudest, purest flag of
AMERICAN SUPERIORITY 285
God's earth, the "Stars and Stripes" to the breeze of his
free and mighty country!
My dear father, in speaking of Griinhagen and Emil
Bottcher, you make the remark that such inconsistency
of fate annoys you. Not so with me, nor do I believe
that any Californiari thinks it strange. One has to pass
here through many different stages. An example may
here suffice:
The hand-cart, which I procured last year, was the
property of a German, who had made the round sum of
one thousand dollars with it, inside of a year and a half.
He was, and is yet, an honorable, industrious man and
appeared to me, who at the time was a sick, broken-down
and almost penniless individual, to be in a position, which
I might have envied. About the same time I went to
Alameda, he disposed of his cart and invested his money
in a horse and dray, (freight truck, it is called in some
places), and with the remaining sum he bought a small
piece of property in San Francisco. A few weeks after
his happy change, misfortune overtook him. His dray
was destroyed in a fire, his horse was killed by a fall a
few days after, and to complete his ill luck, there ap-
peared the rightful owner to the property he had thought
to be his own, and proved to him, that he had been made
the victim of an unscrupulous swindler. In consequence,
the poor man had to let go his hold, give up his lot, and
furthermore he was unable to bring the deceiver to jus-
tice. When I happened to 1 e in San Francisco some four
weeks ago, I met him on the street, sick with fever and
penniless. T gave him five dollars, which he gratefully
accepted. "Which of us to-day, do you suppose, will envy
the other, he or I? And, it' you tell anybody of it here,
you hardly gain attention, as such occurrence is not at
all rare. The Yankee, if at all interested, will remove
his chewing tobacco and exclaim: "Well! California is
a great country!" I have not heard from Griinhagen
within six months and Emil BOttcher has gone to the
Society Islands, as his brother informs mo.
286 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
November 16th, 1S53.
You ask me, dear father, why I have not sent my let-
ters through Bottcher, as formerly, and wonder whether
there has been a misunderstanding between us. This is a
new proof, that you cannot familiarize yourself with our
conditions and their changing possibilities. As I experi-
ence it, as I carry on my warfare, so do thousands of
others struggle for an existence. As I have written to
you more than once, the only way to succeed here is to
take the first chance which offers itself, no matter what
it may be. And this is exactly the case with Bottcher,
who has just decided to enter farm-life, to plow, sow and
engage in similar pleasures which the Goddess of agricul-
ture may have in store for him. He had long since sev-
ered himself from his mercantile connections and kept a
small hotel in Union City— about eighteen miles south of
here. Many times I had not the slightest knowledge of
his whereabouts, and it therefore would take me three
times as long to send my mail through him, as by the
ordinary channel. This accounts for the change. As to
my personal good-fellowship with Bottcher, there has
been no break ; on the contrary, everything is more agree-
able than ever, as I have been able to return to him the
sixty dollars which he so generously loaned me in time
of need. As to the New York post-mark I cannot en-
lighten you, but believe that the fifteenth of June is the
correct date. It takes from twenty-five to twenty-eight
days to go from here to New York (via Panama), and
twelve days from New York to Aix la Chapelle is not
uncommon. The postage, whether paid here or over
there should be the same, namely thirty cents or thirteen
silvergroschen for single weight. Thirty cents here is
scarcely enough money for a good cigar, while thirteen
groschen will suffice to buy yourself a bottle of good
Bavarian beer every evening for two weeks in succes-
sion. I want you to figure upon that and not to ask me
again to let you pay the postage of my letters. Please
send your mail through Bartseh. There is no reason for
a change, as I have hitherto been well treated, and as
AMERICAN SUPERTORTTY 287
my present address, though seemingly of some duration,
is by no means absolutely permanent; we had better leave
well enough alone. Who knows how long or how short
my stay may be. The next week, nay even the morrow
may change my destiny. Just leave those things as we
have been accustomed to do since my arrival; it is the
safest plan.
Give mother and Marie my inmost thanks for their
ever-welcome letters. They know very well how fond I
am of lilacs and consequently I decorated my picture
with them to celebrate my birthday anniversary. And
I certainly realize how you all love me, probably more
than I deserve, undoubtedly more than I shall ever be
able to repay, not for the want of heart,— for all and
every one of you dwell within my heart,— but for the
want of— I do not know what to call it! Do you remem-
ber that part in Fredrika Bremer's* novel "The Home,"
where the old assessor falls in love with little Eva! I
refer to the warm, living hearts in the cold, coarse, ugly
stone. This comparison to the assessor is apt to fit much
younger people.
Tell Podlech to remain where he is as long as every-
thing goes fairly well but, if things should change for
the worse and darken his hopes for the future, let him
not waste time in a fruitless attempt to regain his lost
fortune but rather remember that California is a country
where people of his kind are certain of success. May
Carl Podlech also be assured that he has a true and sin-
cere friend in the far West, who will always be mindful
of the debt of gratitude which he, (that is myself) owes
him.
As you know, we mix here with representatives of
*Fredrika Bremer's novels: The Neighbors, the Home, the
President's Daughter and Nina arc a masterly exposition of
Swedish character and make admirable reading for refined home
circles. Young Mr. Leconvreur's reference to them gives us a
welcome proof of his parents' delicate and wise selection of family
literature. 'Would, that all parents were as careful, and the num-
ber of such sterling sons would be greater. — Translator.
£8S EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
ever} 7 nation on the globe, and consequently there is prob-
ably no place where one finds so much foreign money in
circulation as here. To give you a striking example, I
shall mention the present contents of my purse which is
divided into four parts:
First pocket : One French five-francs dollar ; one Peru-
vian piaster ; one French half- franc ; two Chilean
reals.
Second pocket: Four French francs; one Prussian half-
florin; two Spanish two-real pieces.
Third pocket: One East India rupee; tbree American
half-dollars; two American dimes.
Fourth pocket: One Dutch ten-florin gold-piece; one
American Eagle— ten dollars.
In all, nineteen dollars and seventy-five cents in coins
from no less than eight different countries. Is not that
an example of Babylonic confusion?
Some of you folks may be greatly interested in this
coin question and, for their benefit, I will undertake to
give you as close a list of current coins, including of
course, all foreign money, as we daily run across it. To
make it a quick and comprehensive description, I shall
mention the American value first, to be followed by its
respective foreign competitors, some of which have a
history of their own, which afford interesting reading.
Copper coins do not exist here.
Silver coins:
Half dime— five cents — is very scarce as people do not
care to handle so small a coin, and which in reality is
therefore of little use. I consequently commence my
coin table with:
I. The Dime— ten cents— 4 silvergroschen 2y 2 pfg.
Prussian; or French half-franc piece; or Spanish real—
which is very common here and generally counts eight to
the dollar, though many people do not consider the dif-
ference, and pass them for dimes. These reals, (which
in fact are I2V2 cents) come from Spain, Mexico, Central
and South America.
AMERICAN SUPERIORITY 289
II. The Quarter— 25 cents— 10 sgr. ly 2 pfg- Prussian,
is the coin most frequently met with; it stands in equal
value with the
English shilling, though worth seven pfenning less.
East Indian half rupees a trifle less in value.
French francs, in reality two silvergroschen, ten pfen-
nings less in value than the American quarter. Notwith-
standing this fact, the coin generally passes for a quar-
ter, though it does seem strange. The story is frequently
told that a local firm, Godefroy & Sillem, branch house
of the world-renowned firm of Godefroy & Co., Hamburg,
imported some three years ago a large quantity of francs
and put them in circulation as quarters, which they
closely resemble, at least in size. It proved successful
and Godefroy realized an enormous gain from this trans-
action. But the secret leaked out. Nowadays, many im-
migrants are loaded with francs, the most profitable mer-
chandise for importation. This will not last long and
measures to prevent the circulation of the franc in its
present form will soon be taken ; even now people are try-
ing to avoid them.
Cuartillo Pesos, coined in Old Spain, Mexico, Central
American Republics, Peru, Bolivia, New Granada, Bra-
zil, Argentine Republic, Paraguay and Chile are very
numerous and perhaps the most honest equivalent of-
fered for the American quarter-dollar, as it even weighs
a trifle more.
Prussian Half Florin (Gulden). For curiosity's sake
I shall mention an attempt to flood the market with these
coins. Godefroy 's successful experiment had induced
another German firm to do likewise. J. G. Schroder, the
Hamburg merchant prince and banker, is said to have
been tempted to this transaction by his local representa-
tive. Well, the Prussian Half Florins, which are scarcely
worth one-half of an American quarter, had found many
dupes, as its size deceives the guileless,— of which there
are still some left! But Schroder's agent was in too
great a hurry to get-rich-quick and the flooding of the
monev market with these ooins was resented bv San
290 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
Francisco bankers, who informed the people as to the
real value of the ' ' Gulden. ' ' As soon as the fact became
generally known, the agency had to stand the inpour of
the rejected coins, as well as the many uncomplimentary
suggestions, that were offered gratuitously. Now and
then one runs across one of these importations and as
you will have noticed, even your only son,— bright as a
fond parent may think him to be!— counts one of them
among the miscellaneous coins in his porte-monnaie.
Somebody got the best of me lately but, never mind, I
shall get rid of it sometime. "Tit for tat" or, as the
Germans say: "Wurst wider Wurst."
III. The Half Dollar-50 cents-21 sgr., 3 pfg.
Pruss., likewise acceptable are: Medio Peso, Bolivian,
Peruvian but rarely Spanish coin.
East Indian Rupee:
IV. The Dollar— One thaler 12 sgr. 6 pfg. Prussian.
American dollars are so rare here that I have not come
across a single one during my stay in San Francisco. In
its place, one receives foreign coins of the following
kind:
Five Franc pieces, silver, very common.
Bolivian and Peruvian Peso — one thaler 14 sgr. Pruss.
Old Spanish and Mexican Piaster: likewise Prus-
sian Thaler is not at all rare, though only the large
old coins with the images of Frederic II and Frederic
William II pass for dollars; the later and smaller
ones do not serve the purpose, as people generally de-
cline to receive them, except as seventy-five cent pieces,
which in reality is just about what they are worth. Prus-
sian money has come into such disrepute since the half-
gulden speculation fell through, that many people abso-
lutely refuse to accept it, even at a liberal discount. In
fact, it is a growing belief that the Prussian money, as
we have it here, is but a counterfeit, that is, that it con-
sists of silver-plated copper coins. It is hardly credible,
but I personally overheard the assertion of an educated
American, that this supposed or apparent fraud proved
to his satisfaction the rottenness of the Prussian govern-
ment.
AMERICAN SUPERIORITY 291
American coins are almost of pure silver and conse-
quently small in size compared with pieces of similar
values of other nations. Dimes and reals are no larger
than silvergroschen. Quarters resemble your (now no-
torious) half gulden. Half dollars are as large as, and
thicker than the large Prussian gulden, and the whole
dollar is of the size of an old Prussian thaler. Spanish
coins are old and uncomely.
Gold coins. I shall pass the half and quarter-dollar
pieces, which are too small to he practicable and are gen-
erally looked upon as curiosities. Even the
I. Dollar coins are only of the size of half a sgr.
II. Quarter Eagles— 2y 2 dollars— 3 thaler 16 sgr. 3
Pfg.
III. Half Eagles — 5 dollars— 7 thaler 2 sgr. 6 pfg.
IV. Eagles— 10 dollars— 14 thaler 5 sgr.
V. Double Eagles— 20 dollars— 28 thaler 10 sgr.
These are all the American denominations of gold
coins, but fliere is much foreign gold in circulation,
though not in as large quantities as there is of silver. I
shall mention the most frequently met gold coins: Such
as pass for
VI. Tiro Dollars — two thaler 20 sgr. Prussian.
Spanish Eight Ounce — two thaler 27 sgr. and which
appear mostly in old Spanish, Mexican, Peruvian and
Chilean coinage.
VII. Four Dollars— five thaler 20 sgr. Prussian.
1. French Twenty Francs— five thaler 10 sgr.
2. Dutch Ten Florins— five thaler 18 sgr.
3. Danish Christian d'or — five thaler 20 sgr., rare.
4. Hanoverian Fredrics d'or— same.
5. Prussian Fredrics d'or— same.
6. Spanish Quarter Ounce— frequent.
VIII. Eight Dollars— eleven thaler 10 sgr.
Spanish Half Ounces.
Hanoverian and Prussian Double Fredrics d'or, rare.
IX. Sixteen Dollars — twenty-two thaler 20 sgr. Prus-
sian.
Ounces only of old Spanish and Peruvian coinage
are quite rare.
292 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
X. Fifty Dollar pieces— seventy thaler 25 sgr. Pruss.
Though this appears to be an enormous value for one
single coin, it is seen quite often. These are really pri-
vate coins of pure California gold, i. e. only one hundred
and sixteen of copper and eight hundred eighty-four
parts of gold. These valuable coins are of the size of two-
thaler pieces but instead of being round, they are octa-
gon-shaped. There is one peculiarity about these " slugs"
as Californians call them; the gold is said to be softer
than usual, so it often happens that because of wear, the
value gradually decreases two, three or more dollars.
Nevertheless I should not mind possessing a pocketful.
LETTER NO. XI
The 24th of November, 1853
Christmas is nigh ; Do you remember how Marie and
I, as children, cut slips of paper about this time, by means
of which we managed to keep close count of the days
until that great and glorious feast-day arrived, on which
Christopher would drive up with the sleigh to take us
upon the holiday trip to grandpa's at Bartenstein 1 ? Do
you remember, how every night one of those slips would
be burnt with great solemnity and how we rejoiced, when
the number decreased to twenty, fifteen or ten, now but
one more week, six, five, four or three days, at last the
day after to-morrow, then to-morrow! Then!!— Tempora
mutantur et nos mutamur in illis! Yes, times change
and we change with them! And how wonderful the
change!
Little Marie has grown into maidenhood; the then
careless child stands now on the eve of that great day
when she will take upon herself the great duties of a
household and the still more serious and sacred duties
of a faithful wife. May God bless you, sister! The lit-
tle Franz has grown too and gone away into the wide,
cheerless world! He has become acquainted with the
many hardships of life, and manifold reverses have made
of the tender-hearted boy a man, hardened by experi-
ences. Yes, hardened is the right word, for I have be-
come hardened by strenuous labor for daily bread. As
once the boy counted with child-like glee the days when
school would close for a golden vacation of four long
weeks, so counts now the man the remaining days of the
month, at the end of which he may pocket his few hard
earned dollars. Work-day after work-day, months,
years, a long chain of work-days, no vacation, scarcely n
293
294 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
holiday for hirn! The poor man's life has but one vaca-
tion, when all seems ended, when men in holiday attire
sink his body five or six feet deep into mother earth,
then covering his coffin with cold, unsympathetic ground.
But there at least, is a time of rejoicing for the poor
man, though he cannot, as in his childhood days, count
the moments by paper-slips. Providence prefers to sur-
prise him, by extinguishing the poor, sick, work-worn
life at an unexpected hour.
I am a fool, I know, a dangerous, maddened, relentless
fool, who worries himself and others, all of which I know,
but cannot help that I was born for a dark existence.
Do you still remember, how we children surrounded the
Christmas tree, to watch the candles go out one after
another, up to the large life-light on the top of the tree?
The present, earnest life has interpreted for me this par-
able of the big Christmas candle. I still look toward the
candle of hope. To-day it burns rather dimly, though
not so very low, not yet nearing the end, as it appeared
a year ago. Yes, this last comparison makes me see
things brighter but, shall I ever live to see it shine se-
renely? Though I be but a poor fool, I am not far enough
gone, to grow melancholy over what may or may not be
in store for me in years to come. We poor pygmies do
not know what even the next morning may bring us!
Meanwhile I shall do my duty, as and wherever I see it,
and do it earnestly and courageously as becomes a man,
who forges his own fate and everything will turn out well.
It is now time to withdraw in Morpheus' arms; or,
prosaically expressed, I shall roll my tired body in the
blankets and go to sleep. Have amused myself this af-
ternoon by planing five dozen pickets— six feet each —
for a garden fence. This occupation tired me the more,
as the wood used had been exposed to an uninterrupted
eight-day California downpour of winter rain. I shall
therefore not delay my night's rest. Once more: Good
night— good night!
REMINISCENCES 295
San Francisco, Dec. 29th, '53.
"Ye, Gods! That boy must have been in a trance, if
he has not awakened before the end of the year suffi-
ciently to continue his letter to us!" This or similar
words I hear my dear father murmur, when he catches
sight of the last date. Well, I did not sleep longer
nor oftener than usual since the twenty-fourth of No-
vember, the date of my last writing but, I worked hard
and lost my position at Etonbleau, which kept me search-
ing for another ; I worked again. To make the long story
short, I could not find time to have a quiet chat with you
and, to be honest, would not have done so to-night, if the
fact that you all are waiting for my letter,' did not weigh
heavily upon my conscience. It has been so long since
you heard from me. Etonbleau found business too dull
and gave up the hotel, preferring the life of a gentleman
of leisure to the worries of a hotelkeeper with doubtful
patronage. I consequently severed my connection with
him at the middle of the month. I can truthfully say
that we parted in excellent harmony and as soon as I
can manage it, I shall follow his hearty invitation to
visit him.
Thus did it happen that I became again a passenger on
a little steamer bound for San Francisco— an unemployed
breadwinner. It was on the 14th of December, a beauti-
ful morning and the dark-blue surface of the bay as
smooth as a mirror; the many white sails of the myriads
of coasters were reflected in the sun-kissed flood which
our little steam-boat rapidly furrowed through. Not a
breeze disturbed the early morning meditation of Mother
Nature. The sun was slowly lifting the foggy veil from
the magnificent mountain view which encircles the bay
of San Francisco. This panorama is at once imposing
and exceedingly attractive; the early foliage and ver-
dure which the first rain of winter had seemingly coaxed
out, assembled a new garb, becoming and enchanting.
The air was agreeably cool and filled with an aroma pe-
culiar to the coast of the Pacific. San Franciseo seemed
to enjoy the magnificence of her youthful beauty, and
296 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
the happy sun rays sparkled playfully in the reflecting
mirrors of the many windows and in the terraces of the
zinc roofs. It was a beautiful morning.
How differently did I look upon everything a year
ago, when I arrived here at night during a downpouring
rain, deathly sick, penniless and without hope for work?
This time, I was positive that success would accompany
me on my search for work, and, bless your heart ! I was
not disappointed, as the very next day found me at work
as. — a painter! A friend of mine, Edward Eaabe of
Posen, has settled here as painter and paper-hanger and
has done a good business during the last year. He re-
ceived me kindly and offered me work and pay. Of
course, this being winter-time, he could not offer me per-
manent work as he himself is idle at times and cannot
agree to engage a helper except by the day. So far I
have been in luck, as work has been rather steady, not-
withstanding the holidays; if there should be a day now
and then, when I shall have to lay idle, I do not worry
as there is enough forthcoming to cover expenses, with-
out living off my own fat. My savings at Etonbleau
amounted to about seventy dollars with no more debts to
my name. Eaabe pays me three dollars a day.
As you will readily understand, I have to learn many
a knack, and "the tricks of the trade," so that, if I can
only make my expenses, I shall gladly stay at Eaabe 's
through the winter. In summer time there is always
a scarcity of painters and no one needs to worry. Eaabe
is a good, quiet and temperate fellow so that I cannot
hope for a better "boss."
Am I now to waste time, ink and paper to tell you in
fine words and well calculated phrases, how earnestly
and heartily my wishes for your future health and happi-
ness are, which flash with lightning speed through space
to greet you on the New Year mora? Truly not!
My love for you remains the same, from year to year,
from hour to hour, from minute to minute. I cannot
promise you greater affection than hitherto shown for, if
it had been possible for me to increase my love and de-
REMINISCENCES 297
votion to you, it would have occurred long ago. And
what is true of me, is time of you. Your love, so tender,
so unwavering, so immense, remains unchanged. There
have been moments, when I doubted the sufficiency of my
own love for you, but yours ! I never questioned and never
shall ! I therefore do not wish for a renewal of your love,
which I know will accompany me beyond the grave and
I am unable to make new wishes for I love you beyond
measure.
If you were to ask of me a well-worded letter of New
Year's congratulations to one or the other Privy Coun-
sellor, I should gladly send you ten instead of one, well-
written and well-constructed according to the latest dic-
tates of grammar and rhetoric not to mention a superb
orthography but, when there is a question of such a letter
to you, deaT parents, or to you, my only sister — my eyes
seem veiled, the writing appears crooked, and of orthog-
raphy or rhetoric we had better not speak. I could
never accomplish such a task. Let it suffice, that I love
you!
Farewell, a thousand times!
(Signed) FRANZ LECOUVtfEUR.
The 30th P. M.
Have just accepted an engagement at J. Jensen 's, San
Jose', or Santa Clara. My salary as steward will be sixty
dollars a month and travelling expense. I shall leave to-
morrow morning. F. L.
From the Diaey.
December 31st, 1853.
One of our many proverbs in the Fatherland teaches us
that: "All is well, that ends well!" I wonder whether
this will come to pass in my case and as regards this lat-
ter-day venture in the old year of eighteen hundred and
fifty-three, which has really been pretty good to me.
298 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
Will ray trip be a successful one? Nous le verrons. We
shall see.
Nine o'clock saw me on board of the little steamer
"Guadaloupe," which took in passengers and freight at
Long wharf. They charged me six dollars for this trip.
With the exception of a slight collision with a whaling-
vessel, our voyage was delightful, as the coast offers a
variety of scenery, which seems unequalled elsewhere.
The mountains reach a, height of about four thousand
feet and are plentifully covered with fir trees of various
kinds. We reached Alviso about three o'clock and soon
arrived at San Jose, where old sycamore trees and wil-
lows are plentiful. On my arrival I am informed that the
vacancy which I expect to fill is in the town of Santa
Cruz, whither I shall proceed on January the second. As
I do not propose to hunt for adventures in a strange
place and as the company gathered in the bar-room of
the hotel does not attract me, I have retired into my as-
signed room and am dreaming of "sylvester-night" at
home !
January 1st, 1854.
San Jose" is one of the oldest California settlements,
and existed long before the gold-fever appeared. Its mis-
sion contributed largely to its importance and the agri-
cultural possibilities assure a lasting resource. The pop-
ulation consists largely of Mexicans and California In-
dians, often mixed-breeds, which the eye of the northern
immigrant can hardly distinguish. One thing strikes me
and would strike the most careless observer: the untidi-
ness and actual filth, with which the lower classes of these
people surround themselves. But I suppose there will
be plenty of chances for me hereafter to dwell upon just
such descriptions. There is a magnificent variety of wild-
flowers in this part of the country and when one sees the
fantastically dressed natives roam lazily about among
nature's choicest productions, the sight is attractive in-
deed.
REMINISCENCES 299
January the 2nd, 1854.
Have been on the road since three o'clock this morn-
ing and I assure yon that any description one may read
of adventurous stage-coach drives through dangerous
forests of Italy or Hungary is tame, compared with my
latest experience. While the panorama which opened
and closed before our eyes occasionally was truly grand
and surpassed anything I had ever seen, the drive up and
down the narrow roads along the mountain sides were
often so frightfully unsafe that every step of a horse's
foot sent a chill through my body. The fact that we hap-
pened to be in the rainy season, which makes the road
more slippery than usual, did not contribute to my com-
fort. At last we reached the long-spoken-of road which
is about six miles in length and, passing the river San
Bonito and its tributaries here and there, leads us
straight to the Mission of San Juan.
These missions all look alike to me. The church is in
ruins, with uncommonly thick adobe walls and tile roof—
and right close by is the church-yard, likewise surround-
ed by thick adobe walls. The residences of the monks,
who generally live in barracks, built in the same style as
the Mission churches, are very simple and give the whole
a rather mediaeval appearance. It will seem odd to every
stranger that these structures have windows without
panes of glass, which, it is said, are enormously high-
priced in this country and were evidently not at all to be
had when the good mission-fathers brought civilization
to the natives. All the missions I have seen so far: the
Dolores, Santa Clara and San Juan Bantista, are built on
the same plan. After a good rest we prepared for an-
other long ride, which proved to be worse than the first
part of the trip, as the road was in places so rocky and
mountainous that I expected any moment to have my
ribs broken or dislocated. Whenever the thought of my
own safety would permit it, I drank in the magnificent
air from the virgin forests which beckoned us to stay.
Oli! it was a glorious drive and when sunset came we
were approaching what 1 first had taken for my new
300 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
abode, but which proved to be Watsonville, the home of
friend Griinhagen, now Harry Jackson, to whom I paid
a flying visit. Again we went on through the beautiful
Pajaro Valley, entertained by the songs of countless birds
and reptiles, with here and there the roar of a disturbed
mountain lion or the danger signal of a fleeing coyote,
whose bark resembles that of a wolf. The evening is
clear and the parting rays of the setting sun allow us now
and then to catch a glimpse of the Pacific ocean near
Santa Cruz. Soon the moonlight night with the millions
of twinkling stars prepared us a feast such as one can
only witness in the "Wild West." To express the de-
gree of my rapture, be it said that I forgot all about my
aching bones, to pay homage to God and Nature.
January 3d-15th, 1854.
My position as head-waiter was of short duration, as
Madam Jensen, the ruling spirit of the house, proved
a veritable Berlin dragon, with whom no employee can
live in peace and one after another leaves her house with-
out getting a cent of pay. When at last she made me
work from three in the morning till twelve at night I drew
the line and quit, after vainly trying to make her refund
my traveling expenses, not to speak of the wages due me.
Robbed by a woman, a Berlin woman— I shall remember
this experience.
After visiting Griinhagen on my return trip, I decided
to take the water-route for the sake of saving expense,
as my funds have dwindled down to almost nothing.
January 31st, 1854.
Griinhagen treated me well. As I have an opportunity
to get a low rate to San Francisco on the little schooner
"Sarah Lavinia," I decided to ship in her. The weather
looks threatening and even the Captain seems to doubt
whether everything will go smoothly. It happens that
the ferry-boat on which he embarks cannot take me along
but after the Captain is safely on board, it returns after
me. While just about to enter, the boatman points to the
REMINISCENCES 301
"Sarah Lavinia," which is dragging her anchor, and rap-
idly drifting toward Monterey. A thick, heavy fog envel-
oped her and sealed her fate. The next morning brought
the sad news of her complete wreck, not a life saved!
How do I feel? Do not ask.
February 6th, 1854.
After recovering from the shock which my latest expe-
rience had given me, I resolved to try my luck again.
This time a schooner, "Francisca," Capt. Miller, bound
for San Francisco, will receive me as a passenger. The
weather is not at all what I should wish it to be, but one
cannot have it made to order. I frankly confess that the
fate of the "Sarah Lavinia" has rather benumbed my
courage; but as I tried to persuade myself that it is the
evident will of Providence that I should get to my desti-
nation alive, I braced up for the rough outlook. And
rough it certainly was, but not till midnight did the crew
really think of danger, which was averted by the skillful
handling of sails and rudder— captain and crew sharing
the merit evenly. Sunrise found us only near Cape Afio-
nuevo. All goes well; we come about four o'clock in the
afternoon within sight of Cape Bonita, the reefs of which
we hope to quietly avoid, as the wind, though strong, has
been favorable during the day. Suddenly a dead calm
sets in, the sails flap to and fro, then, merciful Heaven, a
storm from the dreaded South West sets in, and— the
fog, the fog!
My thoughts were of life, death and hereafter. The
heroic efforts of Captain Miller and his noble crew will
ever remain in my memory. Again and again we ap-
proached the reefs, and as if by miraculous interposition
we escaped seemingly certain destruction. A last effort
was made to force obedience to man's skill from the roar-
ing wind and waves. Every available sail was set, the
schooner was laid completely on one side, while the gale
blew us fiercely toward the dangerous rocks. One single
rope broken would now mean death, but once more Prov-
idence had pity on us in our struggle and the danger was
302 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
narrowly passed, whilst I was watching the escape along-
side the man at the helm. Cape Bonita is a large, pointed
rock around which the wild breakers play their danger-
ous game among the reefs which the falling debris of
centuries have wrought. We had passed the danger, I
thought, and I went below to light a cigar, when I was
nearly prostrated by a. terrific noise, resembling a cannon-
shot, which brought me instantly on deck again. What
I beheld can only be realized by one who has gone
through similar experiences. Our vessel was a wreck
— a mass of splinters from the broken masts and yards,
fragments of sails strewn about the deck or floating al-
ready in mid-ocean— this was the sight which met my eye.
I stood as if paralyzed! Had this occurred five minutes
sooner, we would have met our death unconditionally,
but as we had already approached the Golden Gate, our
perilous condition had been signaled to San Francisco by
some one from shore before we had quite recovered from
the shock. While we were awaiting help from San Fran-
cisco a clipper entered the Gate and at once offered as-
sistance which was gladly accepted. Thus ends the
journey on the "Francisca," Capt. Miller, whose heroic
deeds I shall not soon forget.
June 10th, 1854.
I have been working with Raabe ever since my return
to San Francisco and have averaged about sixty-five dol-
lars a month. I have heard from home and have just an-
swered Marie's wedding announcement. May she be
happy, for she deserves it.
LETTER NO. XII
San Francisco, October 12, 1854.
My Dearly Beloved Parents: — Week after week passes
without bringing me, what I desire most, news from you.
It is now more than three months since I received your
last letter. No change has taken place in my way of liv-
ing since I wrote to you last, and I am, to my own sur-
prise, still following the same trade— painting, without
bettering my condition, except perfecting myself in the
business. As to my health, I have no reason to complain.
As far as social intercourse is concerned, I keep company
with myself and wonder sometimes that I do not feel
more lonesome, but then I might feel more lonesome if I
were to associate with others. During my idle hours I
walk, and of all places I prefer a quiet nook at the beach.
There, far from the noise and the strife of God's images,
stretching myself upon the sand in the shade of some
rock, I let my thoughts roam wherever they please and
let the waves of the Pacific sing to me the old, old song,
which fits my thoughts so well! Do not imagine me, how-
ever, to be a complete anchoret, such as are found among
the Hindoos and early Christians, who retired for solitude
to the wilderness, living in hovels and caves. As far as
outward appearance is concerned, I am on excellent terms
with all persons with whom chance brings me, but I have
no desire to become in the least degree intimate with any-
one. I know myself too well, and this is the result of it. I
know what the verdict of sensible people would be were
I to tell them of my troubles and my anxieties. How
ridiculous, how silly I would appear in their eyes! This
T know to be true, because other sentimental dreamers,
such as I (but who have not sense enough to conceal their
weak sentimentality) have always challenged my satire,
303
304 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
and the most bitter sarcasm on my part, even when I
knew my own weakness, and when nobody had to tell me
that I saw motes in the eyes of others and failed to recog-
nize the beam in my own.
I had a very pleasant surprise the other day, one— if
not as great 8 s when I receive letters from you, at least
somewhat resembling it. I am sure you will never guess
what it was. I got hold of two copies of the "Konigsber-
ger Hartung'sche Zeitung" of June the thirtieth and
July the eleventh, which an acquaintance had received
from relatives in that city. And how I read them and
read them again! Not a word was there in them but
awakened in me either pleasant or sad recollections, and
not a word did I allow to escape me from the beginning
to the end. No one, in the whole of East Prussia, could
have read these two numbers more attentively than I
have read them here. From the political news down to
the very signature of the editor not a single letter escaped
me. And what was there that did not bring my old home
vividly before my mind! And what a cloud of memories
arose within me with every word I read. There was the
announcement of an auction at Stockhausen's, reminding
me of my desk in Malmros* office— I wonder who may be
at it now?— and of the time when I ran as an apprentice
with samples of grain from one warehouse to another.
Then came Spitznik with "Plaster of Paris for sale," and
close by I read all about "Friiuleinhof," and saw myself
at play there as a little fellow with Dave and Emil. Here
I read in large letters: J. Wolfrath, linen goods —
Schmiedestrasse— opposite the Courthouse— and at once
I saw him before me with his round, good-natured face
and his flaxen hair surrounded by the whole "Society of
Clerks," which brings back to my mind our balls, with
myself as vice-president and committeeman in dress coat
and kid gloves. And there is Laube, my comrade of the
City Guards, who volunteered at the festival of the Eylan
Rifle Club; and does he not remind me of sentry duty,
of patrol duty and of parade? Koesting has been trans-
ferred from Tapian to Eastenburg; old Leitmiiller is
A FOURTEEN-YEAR PERIOD 30S
dead and so is Wiersbitzkie 's little daughter. Then I
read of the excursion of a club to Arnan and how nicely
they were caught in a rainstorm. I saw the old
"Schwalbe" advertised for an excursion to Tapian; that
"Wagner is still giving concerts and that Harpf has re-
turned. I also read that the rose festival of the Ger-
man Club had to be postponed on account of the inclem-
ency of the weather and that reminded me of the Borsen-
garten and of the many quiet, pleasant evenings I spent
there.
You can not realize how one who has been away from
home three years and a half as I have been longs to see
the "dear old home paper." I actually devoured the
contents of the Hartung'sche.
Olias, who spent six days here a few weeks ago, is
back again trying to regain his health, which life in the
Long Bar mines has badly shattered. He too is tired of
mining and wants to give it up completely. I am not at
all surprised. Nearly all the money he had saved up till
last spring— and he had been rather successful— went for
medical assistance during his illness; and sick, as he still
is, he cannot see how it will be possible for him to regain
what he has lost by making three or four dollars a day.
His intention is to stay here for the present and to find
a suitable position, if possible. Should he not succeed
in that he will leave California and return home while he
still has the means to do so. I hear that Emil Boettcher
is doing well at Papetee, Society Islands.
Two months ago there arrived in our harbor an old ac-
quaintance of mine from Konigsberg, the schooner "Ex-
pedition," Capt. Mueller. Though rigged up as a brig
and sailing under the Hawaiian flag, I recognized her the
moment I saw her. I remember Mueller from the time he
commanded the "Wiedersehen," another ship of Laub-
meyer's, and I am very sorry that I could never find him
on board, though he had to remain here quite a while, in
order to sell the cargo of oranges he had brought from
Tahiti. I expect Laubmeyer will shod tears when he re-
ceives the account of that transaction. The local market
20
30G EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
was so overstocked with oranges this summer that the
very best of them could almost be had for the asking.
What nonsense to send a vessel like the "Expedition"
out here with a cargo of fruit which this country pro-
duces in over-abundance. It took Mueller fifty-eight days
from Tahiti here, while our American coasters generally
make the trip in thirty days, but the regular packets —
and they are all fine sailing vessels, schooners after clip-
per model— will make the run in twenty days, which
means about one-third the time that it took Mueller.
Poor fellow, he will give old Laubmeyer a few practical
hints on modern navigation that will open his eyes or
paralyze him for life.
The Prussian flag is flying in port just now, which I
had not seen since I left Hamburg. It belongs to the
brig "Titania," Capt. Voss, from Stettin.
I would very much like to keep you posted on some
public matters but I have not time to give you the news
of the day. This, I know, should not be neglected, as it
is only by constant truthful details that you could better
learn to understand American conditions and modes of
living; for affairs run so very differently in the Old
World. It is true, there are two German newspapers
published in San Francisco, but to send them to you
would certainly not accomplish the object I have in view,
as both are miserable sheets, published as organs of
political cliques and edited by men who have not even
a fair knowledge of the language in which they write,
and who would do better to take some lessons in the
grammar of their own mother tongue before they at-
tempt to write for the public. If you understood Eng-
lish I should send you the "steamer edition" of one of
our better American papers now and then. This edition
is published regularly on the day before the mail steam-
ers leave and gives in a concise form all the news of the
previous two weeks for its readers in the Atlantic states
and in Europe.
I suppose I shall have to send you one of the French
papers from here. "Le Messager" is published in such
A FOURTEEN-YEAR PERIOD 307
a steamer edition and is— if we overlook its being very
"Frenchy"— reliable and respectable. It may therefore
interest you.
My love to all of you, your
FRANZ.
[We shall now make a short review of the interesting de-
scription which the diary furnishes, as there arc unfortunately
but few more letters preserved, of which we shall read later.
Therefore a few notes in the form of a missing' link. — Trans. J
Diary Notes.
San Francisco, Cal., March 23d, 1855.
Having in vain tried to establish a well paying busi-
ness for myself, I resolved to quit painting and seek
new pastures. Olias and I engaged berths on board of
the SS. " America," bound for San Pedro, a small port
in Southern California, whence we hope to start for the
Kern river mines. We made this trip without mishap,
unless the fare charged, which amounted to thirty dol-
lars for each of us is taken in that way. On our arrival
at San Pedro, March the sixth, I saved five dollars by
walking twenty-five miles with forty pounds of baggage
on my shoulders, thus reaching the city of Los Angeles
after a ten-hour tramp. We went to the United States
Hotel for the night, where men of experience warned
us not to risk our remaining few dollars in the Kern
river venture. AVe took the hint and remained in Los
Angeles. My surprise was great to meet an acquaint-
ance, Wm. Arnhold, from Konigsberg, who at once
offered me a place in his saloon, which I reluctantly ac-
cepted as only my utter lack of funds could induce me
to engage in that business.
October 10th, 1855.
My stay at Arnhold's lasted but two months and
how I disliked the work, which brings one in contact
308 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
with some of the lowest characters. Naturally I did not
take kindly to their excesses and was assaulted on two
occasions for my righteous opposition. Both shots
missed their mark, but hastened my leave-taking last
June. Since then I have been at my brushes again,
working for G oiler, the carriage builder. He is greatly
pleased with my work. By the middle of July I
was able to return to Olias the ninety dollars I owed
him, whereupon he resolved to return home at once,
as his earnest endeavors met with so little success.
I wished him "Godspeed." He tried his best to suc-
ceed. This day finds me in a new position. Capt. Henry
Hancock, county surveyor of Los Angeles, engaged me
as flagman of one of his surveying parties at sixty dol-
lars a month.
December 31st, 1855.
The outdoor life agrees marvelously well with me. Am
in high spirits, as Capt. Hancock promoted me to head
a company as compass man, with a salary of seventy-
five dollars. We are working in the Mojave desert and
swamps.
June 30th, 1856.
Hancock's expedition ended in January and with two
hundred and twenty-six dollars to my credit. Although
assured of future employment, I took once more to paint-
ing in order to avoid idleness. At last, on March 10th,
Capt. Hancock sent two new expeditions to the Mojave
valley, one of these headed by Deputy County Surveyor
George Hansen, while the command of the other was
entrusted to me at eighty-five dollars a month. We
surveyed the Canada de Sole'dad and neighboring val-
leys along the Northeastern foothills of the Sierra Ne-
vada.* Again Capt. Hancock showed his appreciation of
my work by raising my wages to one hundred dollars
*Of these early maps, as drawn by the careful hand of young"
Lecouvreur, one of the best known local surveyors, Alfred Street,
assures the translator that there is nothing in the possession of
A FOURTEEN-YEAR PERIOD 309
which I thankfully accepted. We finished the Mojave
work and surveyed part of the San Bernardino Valley
near Cocomonga, which was accomplished shortly before
this diary entry.
August 31st, 1856.
Having taken a few days of involuntary rest I chanced
to meet Johann Behn, who owns a farm and a cattle
ranch on
Catalina Island,
where he offers to employ me during the summer.
Santa Catalina is a mountainous and very romantic
island, about twenty miles in length, situated just South
of San Pedro and about twenty-five miles from the main-
land. Some of its mountain peaks are more than two
thousand feet high, I judge, and the attractiveness
would certainly be great, were not the absolute lack of
fresh well water a material drawback for visitors or set-
tlers. Kain is likewise very scarce. The necessary
drinking water for man and beast is drawn from cisterns
and decidedly disagreeable to the newcomer on account
of its salty taste. John Behn has a well laid farm and
a neat little home in a pleasant valley on the North side
of the island, which reminds me of Valdivia, as it is cres-
cent shaped and protected by the capes on either end.
Small vessels are perfectly safe within its realms. Cata-
lina has from afar the appearance of two islands, owing
to the peculiar fact that both the north and the south
end of the island have for miles high mountain chains,
which fall off so suddenly that they resemble a low sad-
dle, the highest point of which extends hardly thirty
feet out of the water. This freak of nature causes the
well formed little harbor on the west side and a finely
protected road on the east side. Thos. Whitley, an
American, brother-in-law of Behn, resides here.
the County Surveyor's Office that surpasses the work in accuracy
and neatness. No wonder Capt. Hancock raised his salary.
310 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
Four of us started soon after my arrival to go fishing
in earnest and the plentiful harvest of white fish and
even sharks brought satisfaction to all. I learned to dry
fish as well as to salt and pack them like herrings; then
we drew the oil from the shark's liver. The beginning
of August sees the end of this sport and to be useful I
volunteered to bum shells, a new trade for me, after
which I proceeded to excel as master bricklayer by
building a new trough for the cattle.
My employer settled with me and being fifteen dollars
richer I return to San Pedro. Upon Belm's urgent rec-
ommendation I obtained a clerkship at A. W. Timms at
seventy-five dollars a month and board, which I now
enjoy.
December, 1857.
Am still at Timms', who raised my salary last October
to one hundred a month, so that I figure my credit at
nine hundred and thirty dollars. Pretty good for a
clerk, I think.
December, 1858.
Eeverses in business, by which I barely managed to
get the amount due me, caused me to leave Timms, who
afterwards sold out to Goller, his principal creditor.
After a short visit to San Francisco I returned to Los
Angeles, where Wm. Moore had become the uncrowned
head of the county, surveyor's office— who in reality was
a wagon maker by trade. Upon his request I surveyed
the Protestant graveyard, and drew a plan for the new
water supply of the city. I have done a little work for
private parties, namely, Juan Apablasa, 0. W. Childs,
John G. Downey, Mateo Keller's Malaga Ranch, and
drawn plans for the Catholic cemetery as well. Mean-
while there had been trouble in the Goller camp, as the
latter found it very up-hill work to run a commission
and forwarding house like that of Timms, especially as
he himself know little about it and was too busy at his
wagon factory to spend time to learn the inside details
A FOURTEEN-YEAR PERIOD 311
of the business, which, by the way, had Banning as a
sharp competitor. Timms had paid every cent honestly,
and with Goller, persuaded me to take the management
of the San Pedro house at one hundred and twenty dol-
lars and board— a position which I held about four
months, when I thought it better to look about for a
new occupation— greatly to Goller 's regret.
Annaheim, an attractive German settlement, owned by
fifty stockholders, who propose to have set out five hun-
dred thousand vines. After three years each holder
shall be entitled to twenty acres of land— twelve of
which are to be in vineyard with ten thousand vines,
while the remaining eight acres are to be planted as the
holders may direct. My old friend George Hansen, of
the Mojave surveying expedition, is the superintendent,
who engages me for sixty dollars and board. There I
am at the close of 1858. But how long?
December, 1859.
My stay at Annaheim was of short duration as it is
too monotonous and disagreeable a job to watch a gang
of Indians and half-breeds all day long at the selfsame
field labors, where the mind has absolutely nothing to
do. I left there toward the end of January and rode
leisurely toward Los Angeles. At "Wilmington I met
Banning 's manager, Wm. Sanford, who offered me Thos.
Workman's place as first clerk during the latter's vaca-
tion. Banning paid me two hundred dollars for six
week's work. Meanwhile Goller was in despair again,
and, of course, I was his Moses and took hold of his
business again at little more than the last paid salary.
Phineas Banning with an eye to monopoly bought out
Goller 's San Pedro venture and engaged me at one hun-
dred and fifty dollars and board. With the exception
of a month of absence, I have been holding this position
ever since, though business demanded a reduction in
wages.
312 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
December, 1860.
Though Banning raised my salary again, I objected to
an edict that went forth from headquarters, prohibiting
every employee from smoking. This caused the breach
and the montli of May found me as storekeeper under
the U. S. quartermaster, Capt. W. S. Hancock, at a sal-
ary of forty-five dollars and rations or one-third of my
previous earnings. This really looked like an expensive
smoke.
Two months after Bachman & Co. made me an offer
that approached my former position and here I intend to
remain, as both the employers and my duties are very
congenial.
December, 1861.
All went well until September, when my employers
decided to retire from business. We parted very amica-
bly and I re-entered Banning 's service. The business
had increased so rapidly of late that I found myself soon
in the midst of work, earning my salary more than ever.
Banning has two steamers running between here and
San Francisco, the discharging and loading of which
often kept me up all night. The forwarding of pro-
visions for the barracks were likewise to be attended to
very promptly. There are times when I do not change
clothes once in three days, but gladly drop to sleep any-
where. I had to give up my nice quarters and move to
an old storage house with a rough board for a table, and
use a bottle for a candlestick and a barrel for a stool.
Thus ends the year in romantic Wilmington.*
December, 1862.
Thos. Workman, our bookkeeper, two young assist-
ants and I partake of Banning 's private table. There
are also about twenty men under my supervision, whose
*During this year, the author befriended one Herman W. Hell-
man, a bright German youth, who has since become the genial
millionaire-president of the Merchants' National Bank of Los
Angeles. — Translator,
u
A FOURTEEN-YEAR PERIOD 313
duty it is to attend to loading arid unloading of incom-
ing vessels. My patience is at last rewarded, as I am
given a very nice room in our new warehouse. The view
upon the little harbor and the grand ocean repay me
amply for the privation of months. At a distance I see
the picturesque island of Catalina. All went well
until the end of August when some political differences
arose which I had so far very carefully avoided. How-
ever, the time for election drew nearer and I could not
conceal my view and maintain my manhood. I for one
shall never be justly accused of being untrue to the dic-
tates of my own convictions. A
Political Quarrel
arose, when some Arch- Yankees in name branded me as
a "German trouble maker," and as soon as the Demo-
cratic supervisors of Los Angeles county appointed me
inspector of election for the district of San Pedro, the
camel's back was broken. About twenty of those
rowdies gathered about my headquarters on the eve of
election day and tried in vain to coax me outside, while
I sat, a pistol in either hand, ready for a bloody defense
should they dare to break down my door. To do this
they proved too cowardly, though even the mouth of a
loaded ship's gun had been turned toward my room with
evil intent. When I realized that I might have to sit
up all night, six-shooters in hand, I resolved to beat my
way through to Banning 's residence. At eleven o'clock
I went upon my porch, then down stairs and faced the
mob with piercing look and ready pistol. A few made
motions to attack me but the better element became evi-
dently ashamed to attack a single opponent, twenty to
one. I reached the house unharmed and had the good
fortune to meet Mr. Sanford ( Banning 's partner in San
Francisco), and the U. S. quartermaster, Lieutenant
Morgan, whom I informed of what had happened. Both
were incensed and the latter promised me military pro-
tection should I decide to attend the election in my offi-
cial capacity. I declined with thanks, as it would have
314 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
embittered the hot heads and might have led to blood-
shed sooner or later. Personally I felt keenly the sym-
pathy of the two noble men and returned to my room
after midnight, passing but a few of the early disturb-
ers. The following day I spent at work at the SS.
"Brother Jonathan," without even approaching the
polls, as in all probability my appearance would have
given cause for new trouble. The next day I settled
with Banning and left, followed by the kindest encour-
agement of my employer and companions.
On my arrival in Los Angeles I found myself lionized,
and many political friends tried to indemnify me for the
temporary loss of employment. Surveying and clerking
for the country kept me busy from the first. In the for-
mer occupation, I mention the Chino Ranch, sub-division
of San Pedro Ranch for Ph. Banning, Manuel Dominguez
and others, which brought me to Wilmington where I
met no further annoyance.
Work has positively been showered upon me since I
left Banning 's employ, but as the winter puts a stop to
outdoor measurement, the latest favor, an appointment
as deputy county clerk comes like a happy surprise.
I qualify as deputy county clerk on November first
and am to draw one hundred dollars from the public
treasury. Thus ends one of the most successful and
eventful years of my life.
January-December, 1863.
My position is agreeable and my mode of living sim-
ple. I roomed first at J. M. Griffith's house, then at
Nordholdt's and board at Dockweiler's adobe inn, the
"Lafayette," for thirty dollars a month.
A great shock to me and to the many concerned was
the explosion of the SS. "Ada Hancock" at Wilmington.
Loss of twenty-nine lives, ship totally wrecked. This
happened on April 27th, 1863. Mr. Banning himself was
on board of the vessel at the time of the explosion and
was thought to have been dangerously wounded. He
sent me word by express to come to his aid at once,
A FOURTEEN-YEAR PERIOD 315
whereupon I obtained leave of absence from my superior
officer County Clerk Shore and hastened to the spot. O,
horrors of horrors! Among the dead whose memory I
shall ever honor were:
\Y. T. B. Sanford, Banning 's partner and brother-in-
law.
Capt. Joe. Bryant of the SS. "Ada Hancock."
Thos. Workman, Bookkeeper.
Dr. II. K. Myles, Louis Schlesinger.
Robt. Johnston, son of Gen. Sydney Johnston.
Capt. Seely and many others.
Among the wounded were: The indefatigable Phin-
eas Banning-, Airs. Banning and her mother, Mrs. San-
ford ; Miss M. Hereford and many others. Of the about
fifty persons who happened to be on board but three or
four escaped injury, among them the engineer, Clark,
and the fireman. The wreck sank immediately.
On my arrival at San Pedro I found my beloved friend
and employer unable to concentrate his mind, and I at
once realized that I had to take matters into my own
hands, which task I did not underrate. The large busi-
ness needed a most competent leader in times of com-
plete calm, and was now so shaken in its very details
that confusion seemed to reign supreme. In addition
to this, the many able hands that lay helpless in death,
and the sight of the many noble men whose hearts beat
no more actually dazed me.
When I entered the large warehouse, so well known
to me, I found it partly turned into a morgue, as more
than twelve bodies had already been brought in and
stretched out on primitive frames. In some cases it was
impossible to recognize them, as even the very features
were distorted or torn to pieces. My first duty was, of
course, to put order into the interrupted course of busi-
ness. With a number of good men I started the routine
work of assorting a few tons of freight in the warehouse,
where the victims had found a temporary resting place.
Gruesome as the task was, we tried our best to clear the
cloudy sky, but whenever a new body was brought in
316 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
from the shore and we recognized the well known figure
of some honest co-worker, our hearts grew weak and
work went on slowly. Then came calls from mourning
friends, whose piercing cries would melt the coldest
hearts. One by one they finally were laid to rest— and
may they rest in peace!
Slowly I succeeded in bringing order into the chaos;
and when all Wilmington rejoiced with me in the recov-
ery of the revered Phineas Banning, I was able to make
satisfactory report. Though it was my employer's wish
that I should remain as bookkeeper, I declined on ac-
count of the political disagreements of the past and re-
entered my former position at the county clerk's office.
Mr. Banning generously offered me five hundred dollars
for my services, of which I accepted only two hundred
that sum representing my regular salary.*
The beginning of June found me again at my desk in
the county courthouse from eight a. m. to five p. m.,
except when urgent business claimed my evening hours,
which seldom happened. My only real companion in
leisure hours is Dr. Theodor Wollweber,* with whom I
discuss current and past events. Thus ended another
year.
July 31st, 1864.
The new year brought changes in the county adminis-
tration, the result of the Fall election. My new chief,
T. D. Mott, kindly confirmed my former appointment,
so that my position seems secure for the present.
*Dear reader! Do you read through these lines the story of
this man's noble heart? There were widows and orphans who
needed the money more than he. And their blessing went with
him. — Translator.
*Dr. Wollweber preceded the author into the realms above ;
it was he, who translated the interesting mining letters from
Long-Bar — Yuba River — dated 1852-3. A strong, manly char-
acter, he soon recognized in the author a man, whose companion-
ship was worth cultivating. Strong characters often differ, so
did these : mutual respect, however, paved the way to a close,
lasting friendship. — J.C.B.
A FOURTEEN-YEAR PERIOD 317
In December, 1864, I had to vacate, to make room for
the county clerk's brother, Stephen Mott, which gave me
a welcome and much desired rest. I needed open air
exercise and obtained from Geo. Hansen an appointment
as deputy county surveyor. About the same time I
entered Los Angeles Lodge, No. 42.
The court, after nearly six years of waiting, gives
judgment in favor of my claim for wages from Deputy
Surveyor Wm. Moore; the amount of $383 was finally
paid by him in paper money (greenbacks), from which
I realized $180 in gold.
Again we are at the end of another year. What has
the next in store for me?
July, 1865.
The discovery of coal oil in these regions has brought
crowds of fortune hunters to the city, and the location of
wells naturally puts money into the hands of the sur-
veyors. Thus it happens that I have been in clover since
new year, even my old friend Goller— and many a wordy
war we have had— has grown oily and paid me hand-
somely for plans I have drawn for him.
Main, New High, San Pedro and Alameda streets have
also been surveyed anew.
Harris Newmark and Isaiah Hellman are among my
steady patrons; both substantial people. Harris New-
mark offered me a lucrative position which I accepted
about the middle of last month. I also changed my
boarding place, which circumstance I consider quite an
event, as I dislike changes. Having tried a French table
I have now decided to let Mrs. M. Goldstein administer
to my gastronomic tastes.
December, 1865.
Though everything seemed to come my way, and the
pleasant relations with my employer, who never ob-
jected when I had a chance to earn a few dollars extra,
grew stronger, I felt the slow but certain approach of a
perhaps severe illness. As the only way to get well, my
physician suggested a change of air. Being from the
318 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
high Xorth, the somewhat tropical climate of Los An-
geles has in course of years enervated my whole system,
which needs a good cold spell for a bracer. We are
accustomed to four well defined seasons, while Southern
California offers only two, in which the daily sunshine
is seldom missing. It thus happened that I severed my
connection with Harris Newmark, which was most
pleasant from beginning to end. The fifteenth of Decem-
ber I embark on the "Orizaba" at Wilmington and
reach San Francisco Sunday night after a most interest-
ing trip of fifty-three hours. Dr. Zeile's sanitarium had
been recommended to me, and there I am at present, able
to walk around upon the roof when the weather permits.
Sam Cohen, Israel Fleishman and J. P. Newmark visit
me frequently. Though yet on the repair list, I hope to
make the best of the coming year.
January-December, 1866.
The new year brought disagreeable weather but then
I had been spoiled in Los Angeles. All went well with
me except that E. Boettcher and I agreed to disagree.
Among those who surprised me with their visit were my
former employer, P. Banning, W. H. Peterson and John
Lazzarovitch. Schubnell and I took daily walks.
Through J. P. Newmark (brother of my former em-
ployer) I obtained a position as bookkeeper at E. Wert-
heimer's, who agrees to pay me one hundred and fifty
dollars a month. As I arranged to begin work by the
fifteenth of February, there was time for a flying busi-
ness trip to Los Angeles, which I enjoyed on board of
the "Orizaba," Capt. Butters, though wind and weather
were in a wintry mood.
Three days in Los Angeles sufficed to settle all matters
and bid good by to my many staunch friends and ac-
quaintances. The "Orizaba" took me safely back to
San Francisco, where I entered my position on the ap-
pointed date. And here I am at the end of the year.
From the beginning I have boarded at the St. Nich-
olas Hotel— a Jewish hostelry well kept by Levy Hess—
A FOURTEEN- YE A k PERIOD 319
where I also tobk rooms after June the first, upon leaving
Dr. Zeile's place. Hess charges me fifty dollars a month
and treats me well. "Kosher food" is good for Gen-
tiles.
As our business, like all Jewish mercantile houses,
closes on Saturdays at one o'clock, I find ample time
for excursions. The Contra Costa ferry lines and the
railroad connection to San Jose offer many a wholesome
outing. During the spring, however, most of my Sun-
day trips were directed to Oakland where my friend
Schubnell had found a home at Conrad Zimmermann 's.
These visits gave me at first considerable pleasure, as
I sincerely enjoyed the company of the plain honest
hearts who met under the green foliage of the pretty
little garden. But alas! Simon Schubnell 's health
grew poorer and poorer, so that we had to stay in his
little room and cheer him, while our hearts were aching.
I tried to be more punctual in my visits than ever. At
last the end came on June 21st a. c. As my Los Angeles
friend, Dr. Wollweber, happened to be in the city, he too
took part in the Masonic rites, which distinguished the
otherwise simple funeral.
At the beginning of September the Jewish holidays
gave me a chance to pay my friend, Henry Jackson
(Griinhagen of old), a short visit at his place in "Watson-,
ville, but as I did not arrive until seven o'clock in the
evening, we had only the night for a friendly chat, as
the stage left at six o'clock the next morning. This
mountain trip did me a great deal of good and the scen-
ery is truly magnificent.
As my genial landlord has sold his "St. Nicholas"
and installed himself in new quarters at the corner of
Markel and Third streets, T followed him hither and
occupy now a room on the fifth floor, with a magnifieenl
view of the bay, foT which I have to pay ten dollars
more than at the old place. But I get my money's worth
and the board is excellent. The new year finds me in the
same position and home comforts as heretofore. My
employers are gentlemen.
320 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
January-December, 1867.
Though my acquaintances are many and daily increas-
ing, my intimate friends are few. Give me people with
unselfish hearts like Lembcke's, at whose home on Du-
pont and Filbert streets I spend most of my Sunday
evenings; week day evenings I generally take a walk.
During April and May commence the many picnics, in
which I frequently take part.
George Dubois from Hamburg obtained a position
through me in Los Angeles. On July seventh Rinaldi,
Louis Scheerer and I enjoyed a journey on foot to
Crystal Springs, which is the most picturesque cave in
the neighborhood of San Francisco. We returned home
by rail. Half Moon Bay is another place worth visiting.
The neighborhood of San Mateo, the rides through
mountains and valleys, through natural tunnels and
caves are so wondrously attractive that I do not know
of anything that could be of greater interest to a lover
of Nature. Such outings would generally terminate with
Mother Lembcke's genuine German suppers. And how
good they tasted!
Thus ended the seventeenth year of my life in foreign
lands. Shall I ever see home again?
April, 1S68.
The city bells and the uproar of the noisy populace
announced the incoming year, while Robert Rinaldi and
I exchanged the sincerest wishes with the Lembcke fam-
ily, who endeavored to please me more than ever, know-
ing that I contemplated a long absence, though my plans
had not matured.
My employers, who had always treated me well, were
rather disappointed when I announced my intended trip
to Europe and acquiesced only when every offer failed to
tempt me. Letters from home sounded more and more
worrysome aud when father's handwriting grew less
frequent, I could stand it no longer. March the first I
turned over my books in perfect order to Lips, my suc-
cessor. March the fifteenth was the date set for my
A FOURTEEN-YEAR PERIOD 321
departure. T had two tickets, one for the North Amer-
ican liner "Nebraska," passage $75 to New York, and
another for the "Orizaba," $20 to San Pedro. Many
friends, Lembcke's whole family among them, bid me a
hearty farewell. I felt touched by their good fellow-
ship. Golden Gate, Fort Point, Cliff House and Seal
Pocks disappear and as rain has set in I take to my berth
in good time. My farewell visit to Los Angeles gave me
many a proof of good will on the part of my old friends,
Dr. Wollweber, Messrs. Behn and others. One even-
ing the "Teutonia" gave a little ball in my honor, the
next night while at my lodge the German Singverein
serenaded me at the head of a carefully planned torch-
light procession; and still I wonder why the humble
clerk has thus been treated .' *
Many were my visits and many were the tokens of
friendship. I mention but one, the one I treasure most
for the sake of the noble giver; it is a biography of "Mrs.
Eliza A. Seton," and with it a few verses, eulogizing the
virtues of Merced, whose grave I had visited during my
short stay. Said verses were the giver's own. But all
days end, and I had to embark and did so with a heavier
heart than from San Francisco. Was there a reason?
My heart will not tell! Onward once more, back to San
Francisco, and then for the long, long trip East.
*Do you, dear reader? Certainly not. But you who are youflg
and ambitious, remember the virtues which made Franz Lecouv-
reur beloved : Integrity — simplicity and perseverance in all that
was honorable. — Transl.
21
LETTER NO. XIII
April, 1868.
Before leaving for New York I took precaution to
make a will, with David Stern and Albert Solomon as
witnesses. I believe in being systematic. My former
employer, Wertheimer, honored me with an invitation to
dinner, which I greatly appreciated. The eve of my de-
parture was spent at Lembcke's, where the San Francis-
co Miinnerchor surprised me with a serenade, instigated
by Eobert Einaldi.
The last pleasure was given me at the Mission street
wharf, where Lembcke, Einaldi, Solomon, Louis Werth-
eimer and others had assembled to bid me adieu. The
"Nebraska," Capt. Horner, upon which I had engaged
a state-room, left the wharf at twelve o'clock.
Our trip, so far, has been most pleasant. To-day-
Tuesday, the 21st— we stopped in the harbor of Manza-
nillo, about fifteen-hundred and twenty miles from San
Francisco. Manzanillo is a most romantic spot, sur-
rounded by high mountains; the gay colors of the Mexi-
can towns and villages add to the beautiful sight. We
stay but a few hours.
The next day we reached Acapulco toward evening
and having passed the lighthouse, we observed at a dis-
tance some very destructive but nevertheless magnificent
mountain-fires. The coast is picturesque, indeed, and
offers many beautiful views. Now and then we pass a
cape of lesser importance.
Tuesday, the 28th, at three o 'clock in the morning, we
anchor below Taboga Island in the Bay of Panama and
only three hours later than the ' ' Sacramento, ' ' which left
San Francisco twenty-six hours before us. Our trip took
us twelve days and thirteen hours and covered a distance
of three thousand two hundred and fifty miles.
322
A VISIT TO EUROPE 323
We reached the railroad station, which is outside of the
city, and were packed into the cars like sardines. The
heat was intense though only eight o'clock in the morn-
ing. As no one seemed to know or to care when the train
was scheduled to leave, none of us dared to take a walk
about the city, though we did not start until eleven
o'clock. The car in which we crossed the Isthmus was
literally a travelling-tropical sweat-box.
Fortunately the trip took but three hours to Aspinwall
(Colon), where the whole population, men, women and
children of all sizes and colors, seemed to have been in
wait for us, for the purpose of selling their wares in pot-
tery, basketry and handiwork. Two hours after we crowd
on board the "Santiago de Cuba," which is to take us to
New York. The vessel is dirty and about half the size of
the "Nebraska." I wish we had taken the American ves-
sel "Ocean Queen," which left an hour later with the pas-
sengers of the "Sacramento" over which we now had
gained an advance.
May, 1868.
Toward evening of the next day we sighted the island
of Cuba and at eight o'clock enjoyed the magnificent
"turning-fire" of Cape San Antonio.
Nothing else of interest occurred during our trip. Of
course I took note of everything and kept a nautical re-
port from day to day. It is thus one can enjoy an other-
wise monotonous trip. "Wednesday, the sixth, about nine
o'clock the fog had cleared sufficiently to present to our
eyes the grand panorama of the Bay of New York, alive
with many hundreds of vessels of all sizes, kinds and na-
tionalities. Hamburg and San Francisco, in all their mag-
nificence, cannot compete with New York in shipping; it
is simply immense. We passed Fort Lafayette and an-
chored at the quarantine station about noon, after a trip
of exactly twenty-one days from San Francisco. The
"Ocean Queen" beat us this trip by one hour's time. The
Port formalities were soon complied with and by half-
past-one we landed at Pier No. 45. An hour later I had
324 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
taken possession of a room at the "Prescott House/ '
agreeing to pay three dollars and a half a day for room
and board. Among my first visits was one to Harris New-
mark at his office on Broadway, and to Leopold Werthei-
mer and Meyer Newmark; and I received an invitation to
supper at Israel Fleischman's. A pouring rain accom-
panied me home.
Friday, the eighth, I visited some friends of Lembcke's
to whom I wrote a long letter later. The evening found
me at the hospitable home of Harris Newmark, whose in-
vitation to dinner was an honor as well as a pleasure to
me.
Saturday, the ninth, and the Sunday following, were
spent sight-seeing in New York and Brooklyn. The har-
bor-scenes, of course, do not differ from others except that
their view is more imposing, but the different fortifica-
tions, such as the Governors', Ellis' and Bedloe's Islands,
and those of Forts Richmond and Tompkins on Staten
Island, and Fort Hamilton at Long Island, attracted my
attention to no small degree. There is a danger-spot close
by, called "Hell-gate," a rock which the sailors fear, but
Americans will probably find a way to render it harmless
in time.*
New York is said to have a population of over nine-
hundred thousand inhabitants. Places of amusements
are plentiful and in such varieties, as one can only find in
Sea-Ports, where care is taken to suit all nationalities and
their manifold tastes. As in most American cities the
rule seems to prevail in New York for all tradesmen to
congregate in certain quarters, thus tailors, hatters, shoe-
makers, tin-smiths, etc., are to be found, each in one cer-
tain neighborhood; and what is true of them is also true
of the different nationalities. While the Germans and
Americans in an overwhelming majority are everywhere,
the Italians, the French and others are more clannish and
seldom move out of their quarters. Two localities are
*They did so, by disrupting it by means of dynamite, a few
years later. — Tr.
A VISIT TO EUROPE 325
truly picturesque, the Chinese, called Chinatown, with its
many laundries, curio and tea stores, opium dens and a
thousand and one attractions; and the Jewish sett lenient
in Baxter street, which baffles all description. Of TduiIcI-
ings there are many magnificent structures, of which I
mention the Post-office, the Roman Catholic Cathedral of
St. Patrick on Fifth Avenue, the Immanuel Temple, of
Moorish architecture, Columbia College and its fine li-
brary, the grand Cooper Institute, the Academy of De-
sign, and the City Hall, of white marble, with Corinthian
Porticus and a dome about 180 feet in height. Among
other attractions which the sight-seer will remember are:
the marble structure of Stewart's warehouse, the cele-
brated Hotel Astor and last but not least, the world-re-
nowned Delmonico Restaurant.
Fleishman and I visited Newark on Monday and had
admission to the clock and iron-moulding factories. This
city is said to have over five hundred factories, but
strange to say, little direct export to foreign lands. We
visited Jersey City, where the large railroad stations in-
terested me most during our short stay. We returned to
New York by way of the Christopher ferry.
Tuesday, the twelfth of May, was an ideal spring-day,
such as I had not witnessed since my departure from
home, as California with all her beauties has no such
spring, no fresh grass and foliage as we of the North en-
joy—except at the beginning of the rainy season. When
the early Erie train pulled out of the Jersey City Station,
I was just in the best of mood to inhale all the beauties of
nature, with which the trip to Buffalo was said to be
strewn. And there was to be no disappointment. Such
were the scenes presented to our view that I actually
found myself transported in imagination to home sur-
roundings — familiar spots seemed to turn up every few
minutes. The rivers, the brooks, the very ponds with
their floating leaves and majestic swans, imported from
Europe — all this caused me to think, to meditate upon the
past and on the immediate future which was awaiting me
at my home across the ocean. These and similar were my
326 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
thoughts, while the train sped along through the narrow
valley of the Delaware, which at times may be called a
hollow way among rocky mountains, mostly very steep
and bedecked with firs and ferns of the most magnificent
kinds and sizes. Here and there a romantic village<-sta-
tion and now and then a wood-chopper's abode, which
left me wondering whether America's greatest son, the
lamented wood chopper and rail-splitting President was
ever as happy in later life as when he shared the bread
and bed of nature's sons of the forest. At Susquehanna
we enjoyed a twenty minutes' stopover for refreshments.
Soon after we entered the valley of the Oswego, which is
wider but not much different from that of the Delaware,
both being very picturesque. Another stop was at eight
in the evening for supper. In another four hours we
reached Buffalo, after a trip of four hundred and eighty-
three miles in sixteen hours, or about thirty miles an
hour. The City Hotel is my temporary resting-place.
Wednesday, the thirteenth.
" Weather and women," some say, ''are changeable. "
To the former I certainly can testify, as this downpour
of rain could surely not have been foreseen yesterday,
when Flora appeared in her ever-beautiful spring- garb.
But I had to go now or not-at-all, if I wanted to see the
Niagara Falls before leaving for Europe. It is twenty-
two miles from Buffalo, and if you feel drowsy take a nap,
for you certainly will not lose anything for the time be-
ing. It seemed to me as if Mother Nature intended to
gather for rest her own and her visitors ' strength in order
to fit them for the coming spectacle. I reached the station
at ten o'clock and registered at the "Niagara Hotel." It
actually rained in torrents nearly all day.
After seven o'clock it began to clear up slightly, where-
fore I ventured out and following the sound of the falling
waters I soon reached a spot— fancy my surprise— about
two steps from the world-renowned Falls. The path had
hidden it from me by the thick bushes which grow on
either side. But as it grew darker and my safety de-
A VISIT TO EUROPE 32?
manded prudence in a perfectly strange country, I retired
to the Hotel, satisfied with what I had seen. The roar of
the falling waters, the splashing of the rain soon put me
to sleep within stone throw of America's greatest Won-
der.
Tuesday, May the fourteenth, 1868.
By six o'clock in the morning the rain seemed to dimin-
ish sufficiently to risk the much longed-for excursion
across the chain-bridge, which in itself is a wonder of
human ingenuity placed alongside of this wonder of the
Supreme Architect of the Universe. This bridge leads,
on the Canadian side, to Table-rock, whence wooden and
stone steps, grown slippery from the ever dripping
waters, lead downward to a path which has been hewn
into the stony wall and which in turn takes the visitor to
the "Horseshoe" Fall. Though one can scarcely progress
more than fifteen feet under the main cataract, it is quite
sufficient for one's nerves. Here, about eighty feet above
the boiling, foaming whirl-pool, in the ever dark twilight,
scarcely admitted by the constantly falling waters, the
thundering noise of which is simply deafening, nobody
will ever remain very .long at one time. The immense
waters, which thus form the unique wonder in the shape
of a cataract, come originally from the Erie and Ontario
lakes, whence the Niagara River, at times four thousand
feet wide, has its powerful strength. The celebrated
Falls form between the little American town of the same
name and the Canadian village, Clifton. Goat-Island di-
vides the cataract into two arms, the Eastern, which
measures at least one thousand feet in width, and the
Western, which is on Canadian territory, known as the
Horseshoe Fall and said to exceed the Eastern division
in width and consequently in momentum. The grandeur
of this natural wonder is not to be measured by the
height of the cataract, but by the almost incredible mass
of falling water which reaches one hundred million of
tons in a single hour. The bed of the Niagara at this
point is partly chalk hut mostly slate and it would seen]
328 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
to me that immense wall was about to bury me and my
four travelling companions, who must have had a similar
feeling for, as soon as I turned my back, every one of
them followed me. As the rain had ceased I under-
took a trip to Goat-Island and went on foot to the
neighboring Luna-Island, a romantic little place in the
American branch. From the latter Island one can look
straight down into the whirlpool, called Devils-pool, one
hundred and eighty-six feet below, into which the Luna
branch pours its waters. After this I visited the Terra-
pin tower, which has been erected upon a rock, in the
Horseshoe Fall. This tower is indeed the strangest spot
in this most remarkable place on the American continent,
as one is actually permitted to visit it without paying a
cent for the privilege, a rather incredible fact in Niagara.
Then followed a trip to the "Three Sisters," little islands
on the Canadian Branch, similar to Luna-Island and
joined to Goat-Island by pretty little foot-bridges. By
this time my appetite made itself felt and nature within
demanded its share of the pleasure, which circumstance
led me back to the Hotel. No sooner had I sat down to
dinner than thunder and lightning made out-door life dis-
agreeable, but fortunately the sun won the race and tri-
umphantly showed his power soon after two o'clock. Re-
joice my heart, the worry has passed! Again I went to
the suspension bridge to inspect it at my leisure. This
marvellous structure is eight hundred and twenty-five
feet in length and the rails are two hundred and sixty-
five feet above the level of the Niagara River, which is
said to be two hundred feet deep at this spot. The bridge
has two stories, the lower one for carriages and foot-pas-
sengers and the top one for the Railroad. It happened
that a heavy freight-train passed this bridge, while I was
walking below. There was considerable shaking, but con-
trary to my expectation, very little of visible motion. The
enormous height of the structure cannot be realized from
the window of a passing train but, when one stands be-
low, the magnificence of this masterpiece of human in-
vention inspires one with awe for the Divine Intelligence
A VISIT TO EUROPE 329
which is the cause of it all, and of which our finite intelli-
gence is but an atom— an infinitesimal spark!
On my return trip I bought a ticket to Toronto and one
to Kingston. Even the temporary inclemency of the
weather helped me to see the sights of Niagara in their
different aspects. The contrast, for instance, between the
effects of the bright sun-light and the dark, threatening
clouds close by, upon the blending white foam in the
depth, as seen from Goat-Island, was a spectacle of Na-
ture which may almost be called ghostly in its effect.
The impression this great wonder of Nature makes
upon the beholder cannot easily be described. It is too
grand, too overwhelming, to be expressed in human
words. Only he, who has stood near the bottom and heard
the indescribable roar and seen the stupendous volume
of rushing waters, can even faintly grasp the idea of the
Power and glory of his Creator, who tells him in an un-
mistakable voice: ''Humble thyself, for all the works of
this earth are mine. I am the Lord!"
And once seen you will never forget Niagara Falls, nor
the Voice which spoke to you.
It is evening. I am penning these lines while seated
upon a rock and leaning against a fir-tree; to my right
yawns an abyss two hundred feet deep, and in front of
me are the Falls in their magnificence, clad in the golden
light of the setting sun. Darker and darker grows the
spectacle, the Horseshoe Fall seems veiled and soon noth-
ing but the everlasting roar reminds one of its royal pres-
ence. In the midst of it all I am thinking of Home and of
California.
Friday, May 15th, 1868.
The romantic trip to Lewiston exceeds my expectations.
The road has evidently been hewn into the rocky banks
of the Niagara river. While the American scenery on
this road is decidedly attractive, that on the Canadian
side has a still greater charm, which I enjoyed so thor-
oughly that I regretted not to have made the trip on foot.
We reached Lewiston at 10:50 and proceeded at once to
330 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
the little steamer, ' ' City of Toronto, ' ' which was to take
us to the Canadian Metropolis. At Lewiston the Niagara
River is much wider and 'the banks are lower, showing-
neat settlements all along till we reach Lake Ontario. It
was a fine little trip, which terminated at two o'clock,
when we arrived at Toronto. No sooner had I set foot on
shore, expecting to take a good look at the city, when it
commenced to rain again so hard that I betook myself at
once to the depot where I spent three dreary hours wait-
ing for the Grand- Trunk train. All the information I
could obtain concerning the city was that its name is of
Indian origin and means meeting-place. It has a Uni-
versity and an Observatory, several colleges and an abun-
dant supply of churches, I understand. Business must be
quite brisk, judging from the sights of shipping in the
harbor and at the freight-station.
Our trip to Kingston was delayed by an unforeseen ob-
struction from a freight train, so we had to spend all night
on the road. We arrived at our destination after five
o'clock and I personally was glad of it, as it is not at all
agreeable to hunt for a hotel at mid-night. From now on
the return-trip to New York was taken up in real earnest.
Another pleasant trip by steamer to Cape Vincent and
thence by rail to Albany, where we arrived early Sunday
morning. My great hope for favorable weather on the
trip from Albany to New York was certainly spoiled, as
I had little chance of verifying the much advertised scen-
ery of the "Rhine of America," the Hudson, being pre-
vented by heavy clouds and a cold fog. Arrived at New
York I rested at the Hotel, as the rain kept me indoors.
This trip has taught me that travelling in America is a
cheap, comfortable and quick entertainment. Fares in-
eluded, I expended scarcely more than if I had boarded at
a Hotel during the same length of time. I went over
eleven hundred and thirty-three miles, and the total cost,
inclusive of all extras, amounted only to forty-eight Dol-
lars, of which twenty-six Dollars were for railroad and
steamer fares. And all these long trips without the con-
stant annoyance from minions of some little potentate,
whose principality one happens to enter.
A VISIT TO EUROPE 331
Saturday, May 23d, '68.
I have procured passage to Europe on board of the SS.
"Bavaria," Capt. Meyer, at the cost of one hundred and
thirty-nine dollars, paper money (or one hundred dollars
in gold). Last Tuesday I went to Hoboken to see the
Hamburg American Liner "Cimbria" leave the port; she
is undoubtedly one of the finest steamers afloat and pow-
erfully strong in build.*
The remaining time was spent in visiting and writing
letters to California friends. My departure from New
York was accompanied by another heavy storm. The
weather continued more or less unfavorable.
Hamburg, June the 7th, 1868.
The trip across the ocean has been anything but pleas-
ant, owing to the inclemency of the weather, though ac-
commodations and treatment leave nothing to wish for.
The passage from New York to Southampton occupied
twelve days and fourteen hours. How I enjoyed the last
few minutes as we passed Blankenese, Ottensen, Altona
and then rapidly approached the dear old Hamburg once
more! I made Zingg's Hotel, opposite the big "Ex-
change," my headquarters; it is one of the most reliable
and consequently is the best patronized place, where
principally merchants congregate. This afternoon I took
a long walk around town and found many improvements
since my visit of seventeen years ago.
Wednesday, June 12th, 1868.
My sojourn rested me, and would probably have been
extended had I not just received a telegram which an-
*And it was just this strong steamer which, a few years later,
while leaving Hamburg during a very foggy night with over
four-hundred passengers on board, collided with a small British
coal-vessel, the "Vulcan," whose drunken captain, Cole by name,
had previously caused great damage to the "Marguerite Fran-
chetti." Strangely enough, the "Cimbria," sank instantly, while
only twenty-three lives were saved. Among those drowned were
seventeen American Indians and most members of the grand
American circus "Salamonski," together witl* a magnificent col-
lection of trained animals. — Translator,
332 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
nounces the dangerous illness of my father, thus hasten-
ing my departure for Konigsberg. On the way I stopped
at Grabow, Mecklenburg-Schwerin, the native place of
my good friends, Lembcke and wife, to deliver a few let-
ters and parcels to their relatives. It was there that an-
other telegram, this time from Dubois, reached me, which
caused me to take the " Express train" via Berlin to
Konigsberg. Though it was but two o 'clock in the morn-
ing, I was too nervous to rest, and wandered to the Polish
graveyard, opposite the School-house, where I received
my first instructions. Slowly I returned to familiar
places, and finally called on Eosenstock, who accompanied
me to the train, by which I reached Bartenstein about
noon— in time for my father's funeral. When I reached
Hamburg my dear father was breathing his last, but the
fact had not been made known to me in the telegrams, as
I could not have reached home in time.
Grabow, i/M., Sept. 30th, 1868.
The days of family re-union have passed and many were
the visits and pleasant hours spent among my relatives
and friends. But wherever I went one sad thought
marred all else. The most beloved father, who longed for
my home-coming, as I longed to see him again, had been
called before I could reach him! It seemed almost too
hard to bear, but bear it I must and I did.
Outside of the family I met many old and new friends,
but shall mention only a few, whose names sound more
familiar: Olias, who is keeping books again; Grunha-
gen's family, and Rosenstock. My two weeks' stay at
Schleiff's was full of pleasant diversities.
My California mail is astonishingly regular, as Lemb-
cke, Rinaldi, Dr. "Wollweber, and many others prove to be
faithful correspondents, who keep me quite busy answer-
ing them.
Tuesday, the 22d of September, was another day which
I shall ever remember, the farewell from mother and
sister was truly heart-rendering, as it followed shortly
after a visit to my father's last resting-place. Many were
A VISIT TO EUROPE 333
also the visits paid me in Kuiiigsberg, as most of my ac-
quaintances either managed to meet me at Rosenstock's
or at Schwarzenberger's.
Berlin, the next stopping place, harbored me four days,
and my time was principally taken up with visits to rela-
tives of California friends. And how they love to hear
those American stories; everything interests them.
Monday, the 28th of September, about four o'clock, I
reached Grabow and have really enjoyed the quiet little
town, where everything seems so peaceful after the noise
of a large city like Berlin. The Martienssens, Labs and
Jastrams rival each other in making my stay most agree-
able. The little town has hardly four thousand inhabit-
ants, but they are all of the solid Mecklenburg kind which
are an honor to any country. Farming is the principal
occupation of these people, which accounts for their
healthy minds and bodies. To-morrow I shall continue
my journey to Hamburg, much as I should like to spend
a few more days in these quiet surroundings.
Hamburg, Oct. 8th, 1868.
Again I am well cared for at Zingg's Hotel, and make
the rounds at my old friends. Dubois secured for me a
ticket to New York, for which I paid him one hundred
and twenty dollars.
Of course, I make the best of my stay by reviving re-
membrances of old, which I described in former pages.
A spot, which was new to me, is the little borough of
Wandsbeck, which, they say, will soon be raised to the
dignity of a city, as it has almost the required ten thou-
sand inhabitants. The trouble is, that it takes an uncon-
scionable amount of legislating and red tape, as Wands-
beck, like Altona, is within Holstein territory, which has
just become a province of Prussia. This pleasant bor-
ough has several places of interest, such as the castle of
( mint von Schimmelmann, a beautiful forest and the mon-
ument of its genial citizen, the writer and poet, Matthias
Claudius (the AVhittier of Germany), who is best known
as the "Messenger of Wandsbeck," which name he had
334 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
given to his much read paper. His poems, like those of
Hoffmann von Fallersleben excel in their simplicity. A
little child will enjoy them, while unconsciously receiving
the moral lessons which this great lover of children knew
so well how to impart. And blessed are they, whose
thoughts and words are plain and pure enough for a child.
Claudius was a linguist; among others he translated
Ferielon. While his orthodoxy remained unshaken, his
influence upon his friends and readers was lasting. The
monument honors his simplicity as well as his genius.
On our way home we visited the Work and Poor-house
in the Oberalten AllCe-Barmbeck, returning finally by the
magnificent suburb "the Uhlenhorst" on the Outer Al-
ster, enjoying an evening trip on one of the many minia-
ture steamboats amidst hundreds of row and sailing ves-
sels, while we could plainly hear the strains of the "Fa.hr-
haus" concert, where the great Kela Bela with his ex-
cellent band was just playing the "Turkish Patrol." Ket-
tenburg's hospitality was greatly appreciated.
The next day passed without even a walk, as it hap-
pened to be typical Hamburg weather, cold and rainy.
By appointment I met Dubois in the evening and with
him I went to "Circus Renz," which is in reality one of
the finest attractions of its kind I have ever seen. Renz
has a permanent building near the Spielbuden Platz or
Hamburger Berg, which I described before, though he
uses it only four or six weeks a year and keeps it closed
for the rest of the time. The fine balconies were com-
pletely crowded and even the gallery (which Calif ornians
commonly know as nigger-heaven), was taxed to the ut-
most. And the show was gorgeous. The training and
the costumes were worthy of an oriental court. The fault-
less performance of the horses, elephants and dogs, the
masterly handling by their patient trainers, had already
kept me in breathless admiration ; but, after the last num-
ber, "The Queen of Saba," a magnificent representation
without words, wherein the combined skill and ornamen-
tal beauty were exhibited, I felt that I received more than
the money's worth.
A VISIT TO EUROPE 335
Neil's oyster-house, which we visited afterwards, was
to me the most interesting eating-place I had ever visited.
It was just eleven o'clock when w T e entered the large
rooms, which did not present any strange features except
that the ceilings seemed lower than is ordinarily the case
in large restaurants. As we were among the first to en-
ter, we seated ourselves where we could see every new-
comer, and thankful 1 was, as never had I seen so cos-
mopolitan a throng in any place as filed in at Neil's. The
"Four- Hundred" of the theatrical world of St. Pauli
mingled with the most picturesque foreign element as
well as our own gaily attired peasant-emigrants, mostly
sight-seers, who wished to enjoy an oyster-supper at this
unique though not-at-all fashionable place. "Fraternal
Brotherhood" seemed to be the slogan of this strange
group of humanity. The repast was good and well served
but the rooms became so filled with smoke that I was glad
to escape from them. We decided to visit one more place
of local, i. e., St. Pauli fame— the Spanish "Fonda" of
Rudecindo Roche, who is said to have the best variety of
Spanish wines of any dealer in the metropolis, though he
might have chosen a more aristocratic location for his
headquarters. When we entered his place, we were greet-
ed by a handsome man of good medium stature, muscular
build, whose dark complexion and magnificent black eyes
compared well with the engaging smile with which he
greeted us. It was not the greeting of a typical inn-keep-
er but that of a gentleman, and I firmly believe that he
has missed or lost his real vocation. I heard later that
this foreigner— a publican in the sight of men— feeds the
hungry and clothes the poor without noising it abroad.
If his eyes are the mirror of his soul, this Castilian must
have his heart in the right place.*
♦All this is true. — In later years, Roche obtained five wolf-cubs,
which he trained very carefully, like dogs, and then exhibited
them in the large cities of Europe. I was told that he died from
wounds, received from his treacherous pets during an exhibition
at Antwerp. — And the poor missed him. — Translator.
LETTER NO. XIV
New York, Oct. 22, 1868.
My Beloved Marie:— Before these lines will reach you,
the news of my safe arrival will have been communicated
to you by Dubois, who promised faithfully to send notice
as soon as the landing of the ' ' Allemannia " would be
known at the ships broker's office. It is therefore not
impossible that you have knowledge of my well-being at
this very moment.
We arrived yesterday morning at ten o'clock, exactly
fourteen days after leaving Hamburg. By the time land-
ing was accomplished and the Custom-House formalities
satisfactorily gone through, it was four o'clock. This
and the fact that I desired to outline to you my intended
trip to San Francisco, led me to wait till now to write this
letter.
My trip across the Atlantic was neither fast nor agree-
able, though we did not suffer any hardships.
Our voyage through the North Sea was fine and all were
in the best of spirits when we anchored at Southampton,
between an English man-of-war and the Royal Mail
Steamer "La Plata." Our short stay was for the pur-
pose of coaling and exchanging mail and passengers.
There was a constant communication with the shore, as
little steamers go to and fro at short intervals. Besides
this, the " Jackies" on the man-of-war amused themselves
and lookers-on by target shooting, while the boys on the
Royal Mail Steamer, like our own, were busy enough get-
ting things in ship-shape. The "La Plata," bound for
Lisbon and Brazil, left Port just ahead of us. At Nee-
dles we found ourselves alongside of the "La Plata"
again and enjoyed an hour's communication, while a
friendly race kept us the more amused, as our handsome
336
BACK TO AMERICA 337
neighbor could not get the lead. Soon after seven o'clock
our course changed and when I sought my state-room
we were already on the high sea, with wind from South
South- West and cloudy sky. The weather throughout
the trip was rough and disagreeable, and what made us
passengers feel it more keenly was the strange fact that
we only sighted two vessels at great distance during the
first week; an English Screw-steamer broke the monotony
as she passed eastbound under full sails. Of the passen-
gers, I saw very little, owing to the fact that few over-
came the miserable feeling of what may be called the
aftermath of seasickness, which prevented me also from
enjoying this transatlantic voyage. Not until the last
three days of our trip did I do justice to the excellent
board. All in all, this voyage did not present any worse
feature than one may expect at this time of the year. We
have had a good deal of storm and high sea but nothing
in comparison to what I experienced around Cape Horn
in eighteen hundred and fifty-one.
This morning I heard that San Francisco has had a
very severe earthquake which is said to have damaged the
city considerably ; one part of town is even reported un-
inhabitable. The loss of life is small, but those injured
more or less severely, by falling brick and timber, are
many, according to the morning papers. Of course, as
this happened but yesterday, the reports are still meager
and more or less exaggerated. However, I am thankful
enough not to have been in the midst of it.
Another item of news from the Pacific affects my pock-
et-book materially and consequently, from my standpoint,
is of some importance. The competition between the
Steamship-lines has ceased in consequence of an amalga-
mation, a case of big fish eating the little ones. This, of
course, has wrought changes all around, so that the num-
ber of steamers has decreased, while the fare is now rated
at one hundred and ninety dollars instead of seventy-five,
as I paid from San Francisco to New York. This is rather
unexpected, but cannot be helped. Another disappoint-
ment is the fact that I shall have to wait here until the
22
338 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
thirty-first before I can get a berth. The disagreeable-
ness of this delay, however, will be greatly overcome by
the unexpected pleasure which is in store for me. My
former employer, Harris Newmark, has taken a passage
on the same steamer and seemed to be as greatly pleased
as I, wherefore we decided to share one and the same
stateroom. To be in such congenial company is truly a
pleasure, as I should otherwise have been compelled to
share the cabin with any stranger who might happen to
have the price, as, owing to the crowded condition of the
steamers, there is no favor shown. My disposition would
have made life miserable for anyone who might have had
to share the place with me for three long weeks, as I do
not take to strangers very readily. This means one worry
less.
The evening papers are just out and state that the San
Francisco damage will not exceed three hundred thou-
sand dollars, while but four lives have been lost. This is
good news, indeed, as compared with that we first heard.
When I reach my destination I shall send you a descrip-
tion of actual facts, which in all probability will be less
sensational than the reports in your papers. Los An-
geles has evidently escaped the earthquake completely.
How anxious I am to go to work again. Truly I was
not intended to be idle and shall welcome the day when
this travelling ends. The steamer "Arizona" will take
us from here to Aspinwall and the "Sacramento," an old
acquaintance, will make the home-stretch from Panama
to San Francisco.
Do not expect any letter from me before New Year, as
there will be little prospect.
Thousandfold greetings to all!
FRANZ.
^^t^CniArr-o^
V. I ■
DIARY AND NOTES.
Before we had to bid good-bye to New York, T under-
took some splendid trips around the neighborhood, of
which the one of Tuesday, the 27th of October, seems par-
ticularly worth mentioning. For eleven cents we enjoyed
a car-ride to Harlem, and then crossed the fine, iron draw-
bridge over the Harlem river to Motthaven, Melrose,
thence to West and East Morrisania until we reached
Tremont. Another car took us to Fort Morris on Long
Island Sound. Having enjoyed the sights, we took the
little steamer "Sylvan Creek" at 129th-street and passed
Randalls Island with its orphanages and Children's
Homes; then, near Hellgate, the Foundlings' Homes and
Emigrants' Hospital. Passing the "Table-rock" and
"Gridiron" we stop at Hallen's Cove in Astoria, Long
Island. Again we glide along the beautiful banks until
we pass Blackwell's Island, where one gains a good
glimpse of the magnificent buildings, which serve as pen-
itentiaries, poor and work-houses and insane-asylums.
All are of granite and of imposing dimensions and archi-
tecture. This whole trip cost me only ten cents; I do not
believe that I can spend a more interesting hour upon the
water for the price I paid here, in any part of the globe,
as, between Harlem Bridge and Peck Slip, where we land-
ed at four o'clock in the afternoon.
The following day I visited Manhattanville, where Man-
hattan College, conducted by the Brothers of the Chris-
tian Schools, has been erected where the wigwams of the
Manhattan braves once stood. My object was to see High-
Bridge, a million dollar structure, which one reaches
after passing through Carmanville. This magnificent
bridge of granite is fourteen hundred and fifty feet long of
which one hundred and twenty feet are above the Hudson
340 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
river, carrying the Croton Aqueduct on fourteen arches.
The view from this bridge is splendid. After a pleasant
walk through the park I returned to the hotel by the same
route as yesterday.
Saturday, the 31st— on board of the "Arizona," Capt.
Maury. At last, about half-past ten, in the midst of a
gay crowd of restless passengers, some of whom seem
never to have been on board of a vessel before, we are
about to set out. The captain appears and upon a sign
the minor officers call out their routine-orders, upon which
the. gang-bridges are drawn, the cable-ropes loosened,
while shouts of farewell and waving of handkerchiefs con-
tinue. Now a single stroke of the bell gives the signal
that all is in readiness for the departure and immediately
the immense wheels on either side begin to turn, slowly
at first, then faster and faster do we glide from the dock
into the beautiful Hudson river. The friends of our four-
teen hundred passengers combine once more in a long,
deafening Hurrah, whose echoes seem to reverberate from
all the four points of the compass, while the white hand-
kerchiefs, like so many doves of peace, signal their silent
but heartfelt farewell to the crowds on board the fleeing
vessel, which soon passes the Battery, the south end of the
city of New York. By half-past two we reach Sandy
Hook, and the pilot leaves us to our own resources. The
sea is quiet, though the horizon is by no means clear. Ow-
ing to the overcrowded condition of the steamship we had
to share our state-room with a third passenger, an Ameri-
can named Hagar. Strange to say, while most passengers
braved the evening breeze, everybody seemed to have
turned into his bunk soon after dark, and by ten o'clock
everything was so quiet that one might suppose that there
were not more than a dozen persons on board.
During the fourth and fifth day we passed the West
Indies, of which the mountain views, the fire of Cape
Maisi and Cape Tame Marie on Hayti, as well as the
Guano Island Navaza, attracted my special attention.
"We met the company's steamers "Ocean Queen" and
"Henry Chancey," both within talking distance, which
DIARY AND NOTES 341
indeed seems like a revival of old acquaintanceship— that
does one good not less on the high seas than on the desert.
By a mistake we went North as far as Cape Manzanillo,
which is the more surprising as our captain has made this
trip back and forth for ten long years, and ought to know
the proper route perfectly. This delay brings us two
hours later to Aspinwall, but in time for the train, which
leaves at half-past nine.
The air is refreshing and the scenery along the Isthmus
at its very best, as the vegetation in these regions appears
in its most luxurious colors. How different from the dry
and desolate looking country of six months ago. A slight
shower contributes to our comfort. At one o'clock wo
reach Panama and as the ferry-steamer "Ancon" is al-
ready waiting to take us to the "Sacramento," which is
anchored at Taboza Island, thus making it impossible for
us to buy curios, to the great disappointment of the na-
tives, some of whom actually swim along and manage to
board the ship in order to sell their wares, after which
they give an exhibition of their skill by jumping back
into the water in which, apparently, they are as much at
home as they are on land. Happy, thoughtless, easy-go-
ing people, nothing worries them; they eat, and work at
their leisure, and their needs are very few. Of course,
they seldom arouse themselves to do something extraordi-
nary nor do they have to bear the burdens which such an
effort would inevitably create; they live in the blessed
ignorance that belongs to a semi-primitive state of exist-
ence.
At two o'clock we boarded the Str. " Sacramento, "
Capt. Parker, and soon our few belongings had been
stored and we settled down for the last trip. The scenery
was truly grand, but the heat! it was enough, it seemed to
us, to boil water without additional fire. We were com-
pelled to wait all the afternoon to take on coal, which
delayed the storing of freight. When evening came and
still no end of the cargo in sight, many of us expressed
the desire to go ashore once more, but we were infonned
that the local government forbade all passengers of the
342 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
Mail Company Steamers to visit the city, owing to the
fact that such permission had been abused to a degree
that endangered the peace and property of the city and
had even cost human lives on either side. Too much
aguardiente, I suppose. We had consequently to exer-
cise patience during our imprisonment and be satisfied
with a look at the magnificent panorama from a distance.
It is now clear to me why, on my first arrival at Panama,
not a soul wanted to impart information as to the time
when the train was to leave for Aspinwall and we were
obliged to wait three long hours packed like sardines.
The inimitable "Quien sabe" (who knows) was all we
could get out of those fellows.
At last we retired, hoping to find ourselves in open sea
the next morning but! what a disappointment! Lighter
after lighter appeared and unloaded and still there
seemed to be half a dozen in waiting. During the after-
noon a splendid rain refreshed the tropical air, then a
slight thunder-storm and all was over. Such is the win-
ter in Panama, I am told.
At last the end is in sight, one more lighter and then,
hurrah for the open sea! I never thought that I should
become such a water-fiend, but I actually enjoy traveling
on board of ship, at least I prefer it to being impris-
oned on it in a tropical Port for thirty-six long hours. It
was nearly six o'clock when our cannon roared its fare-
well and the mountains echoed our salute, which rocks
and reefs seemed to mimic. So great was my delight that
mid-night had passed before I retired to my bunk. When
I awoke we had already reached Punta Puerco and were
approaching Cape Mariate. The coast of New Granada
is really beautiful and the lofty mountains were clad in
the early green from top to bottom, without a bare spot
anywhere; forests everywhere, yea, even the rocks seem
covered with green in this blessed country, as the most re-
mote are covered with ivy or some other climber, wher-
ever the trees could not possibly set roots. Now the fog,
a heavy, whitish fog is setting in and slowly veiling the
scenery I just described. Here and there the climbers
DIARY AXD NOTES 343
are hanging down from protruding rocks, while the veil-
ing fog coats the foliage. What magnificent hiding places
some of those spots would make for Indians or— other
people. After passing Cape Mariate, our distance from
the coast became more and more noticeable. We sighted
Cape Matapalo the next morning and, as the coast from
there to Cape Lloreno was hardly visible to the naked eye,
the distance must have exceeded fifteen miles. Toward
evening of the twelfth, we reached Cape Blanco and had
covered only about two hundred and twenty-five miles in
about fifty-six hours, as the wind had been somewhat
against us part of the time. On Saturday, the fourteenth,
we observed quite a change of scenery as the conical giant
mountains along the coast of San Salvador and Guate-
mala, many of which are volcanoes of more or less dan-
gerous propensities, formed quite a contrast to the coast-
scenes I described before. Some of these mountains are
actually thirteen to fourteen thousand feet above the sea-
level. The captain informed me that we were uncom-
monly fortunate in our observation, as these giants are
more than a hundred miles away from our present course,
and only visible in consequence of a certain tropical,
meteorological phenomenon, which is a very rare occur-
rence in these regions. Two of those volcanoes seemed to
emit smoke but that may have been a mistake of ours.
Sunday, the fifteenth, finds us in the Gulf of Tehuante-
pec and as the air is remarkably pure this morning we
can distinguish the bluish mountains of Mexico, though
they are yet fully forty to fifty miles distant.
A fresh Northwest breeze cooled the air, and we were
refreshed in body and spirit. About noon we sighted the
company's Steamer "Constitution," which left San Fran-
cisco nine days ago while we are nearly five days from
Panama.
Monday, at day-break, we pass along the coast of
Oajaca at a distance of about three miles. This part of
the coast shows another variety of nature's work; the
mountains are terrace-shaped, with wide romantic val-
leys, some of which resemble our plains, reaching from
344 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
the beach to the foot of the mountain-chain. Here, too,
is plenty of vegetation, though one notices already the
reddish mountain tops which I have spoken of as char-
acteristic of Northern Mexico and California. Nature
all along this coast is in her virgin-state, which lends con-
siderable variety to the otherwise monotonous scenery.
Toward night we noticed a beautiful display of lightning
in the East.
Tuesday, at three o 'clock in the morning, I am aroused
by the saluting of our ship's-cannon, which announces
the welcome fact that we are at anchor at Acapulco, after
sailing fourteen hundred and forty miles in six days and
nine hours. Having; taken a look at the town we were
glad to enjoy the coolness of our tents on deck of the
steamer, as the heat was intensely oppressive. Notwith-
standing this one disagreeable feature, we gained a good
view of this romantic sea-port town, which is so com-
pletely hidden by picturesque mountains that one cannot
see the ocean; and as the entrance into the beautiful bay
is likewise hidden, the latter has the appearance of an
inland lake rather than of a harbor, though it is quite
large and deep enough to admit sea-vessels of all sizes.
Alongside of us there ride at anchor two of the largest
American clippers and the big screw steamer "Califor-
nia." All around were high mountains covered with
heavy growth of cocoa palms and gigantic ferns, from
which the adobe huts of the natives loomed up like mush-
rooms. Acapulco is a typical Mexican city with huts of
wood, reeds or adobe; few may be called houses of one
story, but all are without window panes and have wooden
or iron grates instead, a few have shutters. The streets
are badly paved except where nature provided the rocks.
I was surprised to see street lanterns, which showed a
certain degree of progress. We then went to the fortress,
built of stone and not without skill and practical pur-
pose; it has really been baptized by the blood of French-
men, who occupied the city but vainly tried to drive the
natives out of the Fortress San Carlos, where sixty good
sized guns prevented the capture. A splendid and well
DIARY AND NOTES 345
graded avenue, with old laurel trees on either side, leads
to this fort, whence one gains a magnificent view of the
harbor, which is fully capable of giving protection to five
or six hundred vessels. It is said that Acapulco's harbor
is one of the safest in the world. I cannot but compare it
to Manzanillo, though the latter is much smaller and less
favored by Mother Nature. Particularly interesting are
the strange life and dress of the natives, who swarm
in large numbers around the harbor or approach the for-
eign ships in small boats, hewn after Indian style, out of
large trunks cf trees. Their dress consists of an immense
straw hat called sombrero, an excuse for a shirt and short
drawers (which are frequently wanting). Tropical fruits,
bananas, anonas, cocoanuts, mangos, oranges and many
others, together with curious, singing birds, parrots of alt
sizes are offered for sale by the irrepressible Mexican
youth, as well as their elders. Another amusing feat of
theirs is their diving capacity. Throw a small silver coin
into the water and you will see one or more boys diving
after it, and they never fail to fetch it, as the water is so
clear, that one can clearly recognize any object at the bot-
tom of the water. Were it not for the intense heat I
should like to know more about these dark brown people
and their customs. I do not understand why one sees so
very few white faces in the market place and other busy
parts of town compared with Aspinwall or Panama. One
cannot but think of the Italian brigands and their Span-
ish brothers in spirit, as often represented on canvas by
the brushes of our European artists, when the poorly
clad brown figures, whose dark eyes lurking from under
the immense brim of their sombreros, make the stranger
feel rather uncanny until he imagines himself at a safe
distance only to meet another.
Acapulco is the coaling station of the Pacific Mail Com-
pany, which accounts for our stopover, which ended by
three o'clock in the afternoon. Soon after we passed the
little lighthouse, which is built on a very high rock so
that its beacon light reaches far upon the sea. Manzanillo
is the next port of importance. On our way to this liar-
346 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
bor we passed the "Playas de Cojuca," commonly called
the " beaches," but a small child on board, noticing this
sandy dividing line between the blue surface of the ocean
and the dark green foliage of the lower mountains, re-
ferred to it as the "Sidewalks of the Sea," surely a very
natural and appropriate name for it, I thought. From
Acapulco to Manzanillo, a distance of two hundred and
ninety-three miles, we covered in thirty-one hours, arriv-
ing in port at ten o'clock in the evening. The coast view
changed, inasmuch as the mountains along the last trip
were neither so high nor steep as those just passed.
Thursday, November 19th, before any of the passengers
had arisen, we were again on the high sea and steaming
toward San Bias, at which place some German passengers
went ashore, who were connected with a large firm of
German merchants in Tepic. As there is no railroad run-
ning to San Bias, the stages and mule trains do all the
work. Everything is packed on mules; care must, how-
ever, be taken that one side of the load is no heavier than
the other. Sometimes two or three mules, one after the
other, carry long pieces of freight together and it is aston-
ishing how much these much abused creatures can pack
along. Opposite San Bias are the Isles de las Tres Marias
(the three Mary's Islands). I am told that ships coaling
there are occasionally lost, either in consequence of some
terrific storm or by accident more or less strange. Sea-
faring men have their suspicions. I forgot to mention
Cape Corrientes which is important as the border outpost
of the Gulf of California. The air is cooler but still warm
enough to suit me. By three o'clock on Friday afternoon
we sighted Cape San Lucas, an isolated hill, about three
hundred feet high, which forms the most Southern point
of the peninsula of Lower California. That night we
experienced the first complete calm during this trip,
which made it possible for us to hear the splashing of
the mighty wheels of our steamship. Vegetation is not
at its best in Lower California, the country looks rather
desolate; though the volcanic, rocky mountains, with
their many fantastic caves look picturesque enough, I
DIARY AND NOTES 347
should not care to live there. Peculiar are the color
changes of these mountains, which appear sometimes
grey, then red, yellow, violet and green in the oddest pos-
sible mixtures. It strikes me that the Titans must have
had among them an artist, who tried his color mixtures
and new brushes on these rocky walls. Again a change
as we approach the Bay of Santa Maria, which forms a
crescent of low sandstone hills, until Cape San Lazaro
shows its height of fifteen hundred feet, backed by a
chain of rocks and volcanic mountains. Here, as else-
where on the coast of Lower California, not enough vege-
tation to raise a cow on nor enough wood with which to
cook a pot of coffee.
Sunday, the 22d. This is our twelfth day from Pan-
ama. We are speeding along with Cape Abrojos in sight,
while approaching Cape San Koque, which resembles a
mighty heap of grey, yellow and reddish ashes, and sug-
gests to me that the same Titanic painter must have
emptied his pipe after his work was done. Nowhere was
there even a weed to be seen. As is the custom on most
American and English vessels, there has been what they
are pleased to call "Divine Service" in the cabin.
We have had a very high sea all day, which is the rea-
son that the ship was kept closer to the shore than usual
to protect the immense cargo we took on at Panama.
There is no change in the desolate scenery, as we pass
the large Cerros Island late in the evening.
Monday passed quietly, the air grew colder and I ac-
tually had to take out my overcoat toward evening. The
company's steamer "Colorado," fifty-two hours from San
Francisco, came within speaking distance.
Tuesday morning brings us to an old acquaintance, San
Clemente Island, some fifty miles south of San Pedro.
Hurrah for the Stars and Stripes which greet us from the
nearby shore. And at still greater distance the progress-
ive town of Los Angeles with many a good friend within.
Onward we speed and the next day brings me face to face
with the dear old "Orizaba" and her well known crew;
she had been twenty-four hours at sea on her trip from
San Francisco to San Pedro.
348 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
We, of course, have long since enjoyed the charming
coast of California but, as I have said enough about these
regions, I shall drop the subject, though one feels like
saying something nice after the monotonous view of
Lower California. Tomorrow will bring us to San Fran-
cisco!
Thursday, the 26th of November, 1868. Earlier than
usual I arose to watch our approach to the long wished-
for place of destination and we soon sighted the fire of
Cape Bonito. At seven o'clock we raised our flags oppo-
site Fort Point, and by eight o'clock I stepped upon the
wharf where old Hess received me cordially. In a few
minutes our many passengers had disappeared hither and
thither, while I took up my headquarters at the Nucleus
Hotel, my former stopping place. After a few calls the
afternoon and evening were spent at the hospitable home
of Lembcke. There was an old-fashioned rejoicing at
every pleasant remembrance I related to my eager listen-
ers as coining from their relatives, friends and dear old
neighbors in Grabow, Berlin or New York, notwithstand-
ing that I had written several long letters, bearing most
of the local news as I obtained it while abroad. There
seemed always enough matter left to discuss to pass the
time agreeably. I feel at home.
December 3d, 1868. Though tempting offers have been
made to keep me here, I decided to visit Los Angeles once
more, and settle business matters after I shall have sat-
isfied my longing for this trip. The Southern town has
something besides climate which seems to draw me
thither. (Bless his heart, he had love in his bosom and
spurs in his heels.— Translator.)
Saturday, December 5th. Having taken leave of my
good friends I am now bound for Los Angeles, whither
the old "Orizaba," Capt. Johnson, is to take me once
more. While passing along the portions of the Pacific
coast with which I was familiar I cannot help but think
of the narrow escape from drowning which I had just ten
years ago, when the urgent invitation of my good old
friend Capt. Morton of the "Laura Bevan" led me to
DIARY AND NOTES 349
prepare for a trip to San Francisco at a time set. The
boat was late and as I had business in the Northern
metropolis I concluded to change my plan and take the
"Senator," Capt. Seeley, hoping to keep my previous
promise on my return. As it happened, we met the
"Laura Bevan" a few miles from Santa Barbara, South-
bound, and exchanged signals. Two weeks after I in-
quired for the date of its expected arrival from San Pedro
at San Francisco, when, to my consternation, I heard that
the vessel was eight or nine days late. Thus I was
obliged to return on the "Senator." Reaching Santa
Barbara I heard of the possible fate of the vessel, which
rumor was conlirmed at Los Angeles. The "Laura Bev-
an," Capt. Morton, with crew and passengers had found
their death in mid-ocean.
Monday, December 14th, 1868, Los Angeles. Arrived
at San Pedro just a week ago to-day, after a trip of fifty
hours. To my great joy I found Rinaldi waiting for me
with a buggy; a four hours' drive took us to Los Angeles,
where the welcome accorded me was truly grand. For a
whole week visits and handshaking seemed to be the
order of the daily program. In the meantime a great deal
of good will has been shown me by General Banning, Har-
ris Newmark and others, who endeavored to engage me
for their offices. Though the offers made were very tempt-
ing, I saw a still better future in surveying. It was on
one of the visits to General Banning, in connection with
my refusal to take up the managing of his business, that
the kind old gentleman exclaimed: "Frank, if you ever
need my help, call on me and should I, forgetful of the
past, refuse generous assistance, tell me to remember the
'Ada Hancock/ "*
Thursday, December 17th, 1868. Have commenced my
work as surveyor again. Gen. Banning was the first to
employ me.
Last night we were aroused bv the fire alarm and be-
*Thc render will recollect the tragic incident of the loss of that
ill-fated steamer with many of her passengers, a^ related on earl-
ier pages. — Translator.
350 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
fore I realized the closeness of the danger, the efficient
fire department had extinguished the flames which de-
stroyed our hotel kitchen. As usual, I escaped with a
mere fright.
December 31st, 1868. Christmas has passed and New
Year is again only a few hours away. I spent the holidays
mostly at Messer's, but came near breaking my neck last
Sunday. Having attended the wedding of a friend, the
whole party decided to drive out to one of the pretty
suburbs, when the horses of our carriage took fright and
ran away. Though two of our number were thrown out,
none was seriously hurt and I, as usual on such occasions,
came away without a scratch, though the buggy was al-
most demolished.
The dedication of the new hall for our lodge took place
on Tuesday. Am busy surveying.
January 30th, 1869. The New Year has made two souls
happy. My old friend Rinaldi and Francisca Valdez de
Pfeffer were made one on the second. I wish them hap-
piness, health and harmony. The Lembckes lost a child
on the sixteenth. The twenty-ninth brought us an earth-
quake. Altogether we had fairly good weather this
month.
I am now settled as civil engineer and surveyor, with
office in the Wolfskill building on Main street, opposite
Commercial.
April 30th, 1869. The weather has been rather wintry
for Los Angeles and this, together with a lame foot, have
kept me indoors considerably.
June 30th, 1869. The weather has changed at last and
we enjoy the old California sunshine once more, which
makes everybody feel good. Strange things happen some-
times, and even in the far southwest. Repeated persua-
sions from my many friends and acquaintances have in-
duced me to try my luck in politics. It is no more the
fiery youth of eighteen hundred and forty-eight, who tries
his wings, but a man of many experiences, who casts his
lot with the grand old Democratic party and hopes to ob-
tain the nomination and eventually the election to the
office of county surveyor.
DIARY AND NOTES 351
There are two other candidates for this position, hut
the Democratic organ, the "Daily News," foretells my
victory on July third.
Among others, there appear on the list the following
well known names:
T. D. Mott, candidate for county clerk.
T. E. Rowan, candidate for county treasurer.
Harris Newmark, candidate for supervisor.
July 31st, 1869. The month hegan hot and little work
in sight.
The Democratic convention confirms my nomination,
giving me thirty-three votes out of fifty-three.
To celehrate the fourth of July fittingly after such a
victoTy, my friend Rinaldi, his young wife and I drove to
Santa Monica Ranch, where we spent the day, returning
to town in time to shoot firecrackers. On the nineteenth
of this month the opening took place of Pentalpha lodge,
of which I am a charter member. Needless to say that
the ceremonies were most impressive.
August 7th. Ripe grapes.
September 30th (1869). Election day passed very
quietly. As the city council had neglected to provide
more than one election booth as many as four hundred
voters are said to have been unable to cast their votes.
My opponents worked strenuously but the counting of
votes had progressed by midnight so far that my election
was generally conceded.
The "Los Angeles Star" announced the definite result
of the election in my behalf on the seventh as follows:
For Surveyor: Lecouvreur, 1,240; Reynolds, 677; rest
of votes scattered.
T. D. Mott, Rowan and Newmark won the race in their
respective candidacies.
Note by Translator: Our author obtained in this elec-
tion more Democratic votes than did the presidential
party candidate, Horace Greeley, two years later, notwith-
standing the steady growth of this city. Gov. Henry
Haight, Democrat, polled over two thousand votes.
352 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
Through kindness of Mr. Alfred Street, who himself held
the office of county surveyor of Los Angeles twenty years
after Lecouvreur, the following copy from the records
of the work done during the latter 's terms of office has
been obtained:
Surveys of Gallatin Eoad in 1870 ; of Tustin and New-
port City in 1871; Anaheim Landing, Compton; Gallatin
College, Santa Gertrudes, and Anaheim Telegraph Road,
1871; Monte Branch Eoad in 1872; Ballona, Green Mea-
dows; Anaheim Landing II., Cahuenga Roads, Anaheim
Spadra, Green Meadow VII., Compton II., Richland,
Cahuenga, Westminster, Lexington and Gallatin, Ana-
heim and Orange Roads in 1873. Mr. Lecouvreur 's diary
does not give us many details of his official services, but a
few notes of interest from public records should not be
omitted in this connection. Some of them may have been
and, to the knowledge of the translator, are mentioned in
the graphic records given us by the eminent writers of
Southern California history, J. M. Guinn and H. D. Bar-
rows. Many a page in the "Illustrated History of Los
Angeles County" (signed or unsigned) is from the pen of
Mr. Barrows, who will likewise write the preface to this
biographical translation and thereby give the weight of
his testimony to the work. We read:
January, 1870. The people of this city were so worked
up by the actions of the councilmen in regard to several
financial manipulations that they caused the arrest of this
honorable body headed by the mayor.
December 31st, 1870. The local vigilance committee,
which has given the city a much needed cleansing of bad
characters, has suspended its actions with the close of
the year and after hanging the last of desperadoes, Michel
Lachenais.
October, 1871. There has been a Chinese massacre this
month, a most disgraceful affair, the like of which is for-
tunately not on American records. Some members of
different Chinese secret societies fought over the posses-
sion of a woman. The first battle took place in Negro
DIARY AND NOTES 353
Alley, but notwithstanding that several shots had been
fired, nobody seemed seriously hurt. A few Celestials
were taken to jail in consequence. The disturbance was
thought to have ended and the jailbirds were taken the
next day before the police court for preliminary hearing,
at which large numbers of Chinatown were present. No
sooner had the court set the day for trial than the Mon-
golians repaired to their own quarters, where a new fight
ensued, which soon attracted a multitude of Mexicans and
Americans from that vicinity, some of whom were speed-
ily mixed up in the fight. The heathens fought desper-
ately and an officer, Robert Thompson, who attempted to
quell the riot, was killed and his deputy, Bilderain, was
wounded, which naturally roused the boundless anger of
the white mob that now surrounded the Chinese dens
demanding the blood of the murderers of an American of-
ficial who had done his duty as a peace officer. One of the
heathens ventured into the street and was at once caught
by his pursuers, taken about four squares and hanged to
the doorway of a corral amid the abjurations of the en-
raged spectators. Having tasted the blood of the almond-
eyed stranger, the combined mob of Americans and Span-
iards now largely reinforced, began the real massacre.
As the beleaguered heathen had barricaded doors and
windows, a crowd of hoodlums in desperate frenzy
climbed upon the roofs, broke holes through and shot the
inmates, males, females, young and old, regardless as to
their guilt or innocence. The object was one of vengeance
on the cold-blooded murderers of an American citizen.
It may seem amazing that so-called civilized communities
should have to witness the frenzied destruction of nearly
a score of human lives, even though the provocation was
very great. When quiet was restored, there were eigh-
teen bodies found dangling in mid air, some from win-
dow casings, some from lamp posts, while one ot two had
actually been tied to the seat of farm wagons and others
to awnings, among these the body of a child !
Though quite a number of arrests had been made, few
actual convictions followed and the sentences covered but
23
354 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE
a few years of imprisonment, while the City of Angels
will never be able to erase this dark page from her chron-
icles. How strangely human justice is sometimes meted
out in this free country of ours!
About two years before the above occurrence the author
expressed a great longing to see his fatherland, which
was then divided into many principalities, once more
united under one supreme head, be it as an empire or as
a republic. He longed for it, but dared not hope. On the
contrary, he sighed often when what he called the insig-
nificance of Germany's power and the consequent dimin-
ished respect shown her abroad, was the subject of a con-
versation. Lecouvreur loved his native land, and he
therefore followed the preliminary negotiations between
France and Prussia, which led to the war of 1870-71. He
hoped for a German victory, but could scarcely believe a
united action of Prussia, Bavaria, Saxony and the smaller
kingdoms would be possible. But the insult which Na-
poleon III. through his ambassador, Benedetti, had of-
fered the venerable King William I. of Prussia, aroused
and united his fellow rulers to action. The war lasted but
two months, during which fifteen big battles were fought
and won by the German amiies and the crowning events,
the taking prisoner of the French Emperor, the proclama-
tion of a German Empire under William I. as well as the
capitulation of Paris, overpowered our author with glad-
ness and surprise. Now, at last, was respect for the Ger-
man citizen established at home and abroad.
Los Angeles, like all Western cities, had to undergo
many changes and struggles, with now and then a boom,
all of which was shared by the public spirited author of
this biography. Being a man of education, such as was
rare among the foreign born element of this vicinity, his
interest in all matters pertaining to the uplifting of his
fellow men was as keen and far-reaching as his percep-
tion of public needs, wherefore he welcomed and encour-
aged the endeavors of every good man.
DIARY AND NOTES 355
In the beginning of June, 1877, while cashier in a lead-
ing local bank there, began a new era for our
author whose happy matrimonial venture was accom-
panied by the earnest wishes of his many true friends. A
wedding trip to Europe was heartily enjoyed by both,
alter which they founded a home where happiness
reigned supreme for fully eleven years, when suddenly an
attack of paralysis compelled our author to bid farewell
to all activities and resign himself to the will of his God.
Great were his sufferings and privations, but greater was
his faith and his hope in the Divine Mercy, which sus-
tained and comforted him to the end.
Purified by fourteen years of untold agonies, his beau-
tiful soul entered into the realms of Eternal Peace on the
seventeenth of January, nineteen hundred and one, in
the seventy-second year of his well spent life and the
fiftieth year of his California citizenship.
THE END.
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